US Immigration Blog

Archive for December, 2009

People often ask: what can I do to increase the odds of my case being approved?   Well, here are seven easy things that you can do to make sure your case gets approved the first time:

1.  Make sure you are using the correct application form.  Sounds easy enough, but many people will send the wrong form when trying to file for citizenship or a change of status application.

2. Make sure you completely respond to each item on the correct form.  Leaving gaps and failing to respond to items on the form will result in a rejection of the application.

3.  Make sure you sign the application.  Sounds easy but again many people forget to sign the application where required.

4.  Make sure you send the application to the correct address.  The USCIS has different addresses for different applications and some depend on where you reside.

5.  Make sure you send in the correct filing fee attached to your application.  Underpayment or overpayment will result in a rejection of your application.

6.  Make sure you attach the required basic/primary evidence for your case.  For example, where a birth certificate is required, failure to attach it to the application will result in delays as the agency has to write to you and ask for it.

7. Make sure you case is ripe for filing.  In other words, if you have to wait for a visa number, make sure the visa is available when you send in the application.  If you are filing for citizenship and need to prove you have five years of permanent residence, make sure you meet that requirement before sending in your application.  An application filed prematurely will be rejected.

Effective immediately, the USCIS has annouced new filing locations for N-400 Applications for Naturalization and Citizenship.  Depending on the State where you reside, the Applications are to be mailed to a new address in Dallas, Texas or Phoenix, Arizona.

The new address in Dallas, Texas is:

USCIS

P.O Box 660060

Dallas, TX 75266

The new address in Phoenix is:

USCIS

P.O Box 21251

Phoenix, AZ 85036

To avoid delays in mail-forwading, send the application to the correct new address.

Applicants in the United States military will submit their applications to the Nebraska Service Center as was the case before, therefore no change here.

A new Immigration Reform Bill was introduced in the United States Congress on December 15 by Rep. Gutierrez and a number of other Congressional leaders.

The Bill proposes to reform key areas including border and point of entry security.  It hopes to streamline employment verification for employees and proposes penalties for Employers violating this provision.

The proposed Bill would also redefine “immediate family” to include spouses and children of permanent residents.  More contentious provisions will be re-assertion of the legalization of more than 10 million illegal immigrants, a provision that doomed the Immigration reform bill during the last Congress even with the support of President Bush.

The Bill also includes The Dream Act which proposes to allow the adjustment of children who were brought to the United States before they were 16.

The Bill hopes to grant more discretion to Immigration Judges who review removal orders by making certain discretionary waivers available.  There are proposed provisions that amend H-2B Temporary worker program as well as the EB Investor visa program.  A full version of the Bill will be posted here.