Photo Credit: marcobellucciA very common question that we are often asked is “Do I need a work permit or business visa?” While each country has its own body of governing rules that regulate the difference between work and business activities, there are a few questions that you can answer to assess your situation, such as will you be conducting meetings or negotiations?We suggest conducting the self evaluation of your specific scenario, and then to consult your immigration services provider for additional guidance. The following are several questions that can help you assess your particular situation:

Will the activities require a signatory authority? Will you be performing your same activities in the host country (foreign country) that you currently perform in your home country? Will you be there long term (longer than 3 months)? Will you be conducting...

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Earlier this year the UK Government asked its Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to debate the removal of the Tier 2 (sponsored skilled workers) Intra Company Transfer immigration option because of the current economic downturn – unemployment currently up 2.3% since this time last year. However, abolishing the Intra-Company Transfer route could have a devastating impact on the UK economy, weaken their position in the global market, and inevitably lead to retaliation from major international trading partners.  With this in mind, the MAC recommended leaving the Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer category in place, but developed legislation update recommendations. The UK government has accepted all MAC recommendations:

The intra company transfer route should not lead to right to permanent residence  The qualifying period with the company overseas should be extended...

Photo Credit: anne.oeldorfhirschEarly July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), warned that employer-focused immigration raids would start back in April. On July 1, the raids actually began when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notified almost 700 (652 to be exact) businesses around the country that they would be inspected and were suspected to be non-compliant in their workplace enforcement practices (i.e. not filling out Form I-9 work authorization properly, etc.). The amount of notices issued in July was more than ICE had issued throughout all of last fiscal year, reflecting the strong emphasis now on workplace enforcement. One of the companies raided, American Apparel, the largest garment maker in the U.S. known for its (Benetton style) in-you-face stance on controversial issues, has been once again making headlines – although not for its usual...

Photo Credit: David Prior  

There are currently 46.3 million uninsured people in the country, of which 6.6 million are illegal immigrants. You may wonder why I am quoting healthcare related statistics in an immigration reform blog entry. It is because the misconceptions between IR and healthcare reform continue (as highlighted last month). Constantly fueled by IR critics, misconceptions are starting to derail both IR and healthcare reform constructive efforts, as illustrated by the hard line stance on illegal immigrants in the Baucus healthcare bill currently being debated in the Senate. Also, as healthcare reform is currently delayed, it is likely that the timing and passage of IR will also be affected. Further, I cite these figures to give a sense of the number of illegal immigrants versus Americans who are uninsured. Clearly, the majority of those without health...

Photo Credit: BigPreshEarlier this summer, Obama vowed to increase the administration’s transparency in regards to the immigration process, and promised a new and improved United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) website within 90 days. Hats off to the President as the site officially launched on September 14. The USCIS website is much easier to navigate with really helpful drop down boxes to help you find exactly what you are looking for upfront on the homepage i.e. I am a U.S. Citizen and I want to get a passport. This is a drastic change from the previous site, which was very information heavy but difficult to find the actual information you were seeking. Further, the site is now offered in Spanish, for the first time ever (plans are to continue to expand the content available in Spanish)! Even more so, the site allows you to see immigration information such...

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It’s the middle of September, which means that a new class of “freshman” H-1Bs will be starting on October 1, 2009! This time of year also brings frequent inquiries regarding the transfer of H-1B visas. Can a foreign national transfer to a new employer before they change to H-1B status on October 1, 2009?  Can a transfer be made while the foreign national is still working on the F-1 OPT card (or some other non-immigrant visa status), before their change to H-1B status takes effect?

The answer is yes and yes! Generally, the H-1B is employer-specific, but one can transfer from one employer to another. A foreign national can change H-1B sponsors before their status changes to H-1B on October 1. However, this transfer must be received by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before the date the change...

Photo Credit: mpovAs of August 14, 2009 (the last update), the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received 45,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions towards the fiscal year 2010 cap. In recent years, the quota of 65,000 petitions filled up very quickly after the initial filing date of April 1, but due to the economic downturn, this year’s cap has not yet filled up.Due to the low demand for H-1B applications, USCIS will continue to accept petitions filed on behalf of foreign nationals who previously have not held H-1B status, so there is still time to submit H-1B applications. Contact your immigration services provider to see if this is an option for you.Approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree (Master’s) cap exemption have been filed. In previous years, the regular cap of 65,000 filled up more quickly than the advanced degree cap, but for...

Photo Credit: ButterflySha

Happy Citizenship Day!

While not a top hallmark holiday, Citizenship Day has indeed been around since 1952 and unofficially since 1940 (on its original May date). It’s a day to celebrate the rights we enjoy as American citizens (both U.S. born and naturalized) and is actually a part of a weeklong celebration - U.S. Constitution Week. Today, almost 9,000 will be naturalized in almost 80 ceremonies around the country!

We choose this auspicious day to launch our blog, because as a country established by immigrants - Citizenship Day is also a time to commemorate immigration – since we or our ancestors were immigrants at one point. So, we are very excited to launch our first-ever VISANOW blog and to put the world of immigration at your finger tips.

So what can you expect from our blog? Our topics will be wide-ranging, covering...