Jun 22, 2004- India Posts To Discontinue Drop Box Processing
Effective July 2004 the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi will end Drop Box processing for non-immigrant visa applications at all four consular posts in India. Every applicant will now be required to schedule an appointment for a personal interview with a consular officer.
The end of the drop-box procedure is due to the introduction of new biometric data collection methods in which U.S. consular sections in India will start collecting biometric data such as scanning fingerprints from all visa applicants. The fingerprints scanned at the time of visa application will then be compared with fingerprint data at the U.S. port of entry to prevent the use of U.S. visas by imposters and by individuals wanted for criminal offenses.
This program has already been implemented in more than 150 U.S. Consular sections around the world and is now required by U.S. law.
Jun 16, 2004- Fiscal Year 2005 H-1B Quota Update
Attorneys from Nankin & Verma PLLC attended the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) conference this past weekend in Philadelphia. We were able to obtain some very interesting and new information from various government agencies which were present to speak at the conference.
One bit of information of interest to our clients is that as of the end of May 2004, 16,100 out of 65,000 H-1B visas were approved and counted against the fiscal year 2005 H-1B cap.
State Department Revalidations
Interesting information from the State Department was shared at the AILA conference in Philadelphia this past weekend. Since the State Department, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland security will be instituting biometric identifiers and other security protections with regard to visas and passports, the State Department will no longer accept visa revalidations for visa issuances in the United States after July 6, 2004.
Jun 6, 2004- Infopass Coming to Baltimore District Office
Infopass is an on-line appointment system that eliminates long waiting lines to obtain information counter meetings. Infopass will also allow scheduling to obtain interim Advance Parole and Employment Authorization Documents.
Already in use in Southern California and Miami USCIS offices, the Infopass appointment system is coming to the Baltimore District Office, as well as all other East Coast USCIS District Office. It is anticipated that Infopass will be in place by July 31, 2004 in Baltimore and the East Coast, and that it will go nationwide by the end of 2004. Since the Washington District Office in Arlington, VA will be moving shortly this month, the Infopass system will not be in place there by July 31, but will be set up shortly thereafter.
For those who do not have internet access, kiosks will be set up in the Fallon Federal Building lobby in Baltimore to allow appointments to be made. Emergency circumstances may still permit walk-in meetings in Baltimore without using the Infopass system.
Infopass users should be able to obtain appointments in about two weeks from the date of use. Either attorneys or clients can make appointments.
Jun 4, 2004- I-130 Direct Filing in New Delhi, India
U.S. Citizens seeking to directly file their I-130s with the New Delhi DHS sub office on behalf of immediate relatives will now have to show 60 days of physical presence in India prior to filing. This can be done by showing an entry stamp in the passport.
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