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MVP Law Group
News You Can Use
December 2016

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway
Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044
240-390-0600
1-800-447-0796
Greetings,

" We didn't raise the Statue of Liberty with her back to the world.  We did it facing the world -- her light, her beacon shining." -- President Obama, Nov. 25, 2014
 

As a New Year is approaching, I thought I would take the opportunity in this month's newsletter to reflect a bit. What does this mean? My sincere hope is that we can come to appreciate all we have in this great country, and recognize that the strength of our nation lies in each other - in the diverse backgrounds and talents and experiences and outlooks that we all bring to this wonderfully rich mosaic we call America. We should recognize the shared potential we have as a country, rather than constantly obsessing about all that is not right here. Yes, we do have problems to solve - but this shouldn't blind us to how good we have it here, compared to many other parts of our world.

Realizing how much we have is the first step toward personal generosity. Times are hard right now, but - like the original Pilgrims - we can pull together across the issues that divide us if we remember their spirit of common purpose and shared enterprise. Let me say it again: we're all in this together. Each of us needs to take responsibility for mending the broken parts of our society. This means, welcoming strangers, and making them feel at home. In the larger sense, it means remembering that we are a nation of immigrants - one that has thrived on the contributions of newcomers - and then acting on this knowledge. People still come to this land for the same reasons they always have - pursuing freedom from oppression, economic opportunity, and the chance of a better life. Hospitality means opening our hearts and minds to others, however different their customs, political opinions, cultures and languages may be from our own.  No matter where you come from, or what your beliefs are, I hope we can all agree that we have much to be thankful for in this country, and much to give back. I am proud of the role we at MVP Law Group play in bringing the best and brightest to this land of opportunity, to continue America's legacy as a nation of immigrants.

Let us hope that the New Year will bring some kind of BIPARTISAN agreement for Immigration Reform in this country. We need to continue to urge the elected members of Congress to work on real solutions to fix our immigration system by passing true Immigration Reform, which encompasses everyone: workers, employers, students, families, and the undocumented.

In other immigration news, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin for January 2017 is now available. The cutoff date movement is consistent with earlier predictions. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for India moved from 2/1/08 to 4/15/08 and EB3 remained at 3/15/05. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for Chinese Nationals moved from 9/22/12 to 10/15/12 and the cutoff date for the EB3 category for Chinese Nationals moved from 7/1/13 to 9/8/13.
 
We hope you continue to read our newsletter as well as our blog in order to stay in touch and obtain important information concerning changes to the regulatory environment and new trends in the adjudication of petitions.

Kellie N. Lego, Esq.
MVP Law Group, P.A.
In This Issue
Reminder - USCIS Immigration Filing Fees to Increase

 

USCIS published the final rule, "Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers" on November 18, 2016 and it goes into effect on January, 17, 2017. This final rule will modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. They have also amended regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. Remember, this rule goes into effect on Jan. 17, 2017.  

Read more

E-Verify Webinars On-Demand!

The USCIS has sent out an email alerting stakeholders that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced changes to the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) program. These changes will require some individuals to renew their ITIN. If your ITIN is expiring soon the IRS will send you a letter stating that renewal is required. More information about the ITIN is available online by visiting the ITIN Expiration Frequently Asked Questions Web page on the IRS website.

 

The IRS is now accepting ITIN renewal applications and encouraging people to plan ahead so that their ITINs don't expire. ITINs are used by people who have tax filing or payment obligations under U.S. law but who are not eligible for a Social Security Number.

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About Our Law Firm 

MVP Law Group, P.A.
offers Business Immigration Services to Employers and Individuals World Wide. We deal primarily with Business Immigration by assisting clients in obtaining Temporary Work Visas; Preparing and Filing Employment Based and Family Based Immigrant Petitions; Aiding Lawful Permanent Residents in Attaining Naturalization; and ensuring compliance with Immigration laws by conducting internal audits for businesses in all industries.

 

U.S. Immigration Law is federal in nature (i.e., No State or provincial law is involved), therefore, our firm is able to provide U.S. Immigration Law Services to clients ANYWHERE in the United States and around the World.

 

MVP Law Group, P.A. 

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway

Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044

240-390-0600

1-800-447-0796 

 

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PERM Processing Priority Dates

(As of 12/30/16)

 

PROCESSING AREA

MONTH

CALENDAR YEAR

Analyst Reviews

Sept.      

2016

Audits

May      

   

2016

Requests for
Reconsideration

Nov.     

2016

JAN. 2017 VISA BULLETIN
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.
The monthly Visa Bulletin has changed. The bulletin now summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during the reported month for: "Application Final Action Dates" (consistent with prior Visa Bulletins) and "Dates for Filing Applications," indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center using Consular Processing (outside of the US) or file on their own with USCIS Form I-485 (within the US).




MVP LAW GROUP - Immigration Q&A Forum
 

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.
 

Question #1 - H1B Nonimmigrant Work Visa

Is there a grace period for applying for an H-1B transfer after termination from a previous sponsoring employer?
 

Answer #1
According to the USCIS, there is no grace period. In practice, a period of two weeks is a reasonable period of time in order to transition to new employment; however, the regulations do not provide for a grace period.
 

Question #2 - Premium Processing

If my employer does Premium Processing for my H-1B extension, how long does it take for my case to get approved?

Answer #2
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