The DOL Completes sending "45-day" letters for all Labor Certifications Pending At Backlog Centers-

The Dept of Labor (DOL) has completed sending "45-day" letters for all Labor Certifications Pending At Backlog Centers. This means that for those who are being sponsored, if your employer or attorney has NOT received a 45-day letter, the DOL must be contacted immediately, since the case may be lost or improperly entered.

The DOL has set up an email system to inquire about such cases where there has been no confirmation of the pending case. DOL instructs that employers and attorneys have 30 days to notify them of such cases. It appears this notice was posted 9/11/06. Therefore, anyone who did not receive the 45-day letter on a pre-PERM case must move quickly to advise DOL of such cases.

The DOL has set up a special email for notification of such cases:

Philadelphia Backlog Center:      This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dallas Backlog Center:               This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Social Security Administration (SSA) Will Now Issue Spouses of L & E Visas Social Security Cards Without Requiring an EAD

The SSA recently clarified its current policy regarding the issuance of Social Security Cards to E and L visa spouses, stating that the SSA will now issue Social Security Cards to E and L visa spouses without the requirement for an Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) to be issued by the USCIS. Previously, the SSA required L & E spouses to produce original EAD cards in order to be issued a Social Security number. 

IMMIGRATION TIP:

For Adjustment of Status (“Green Card”) and N-400 Naturalization applications, you do not need to obtain a  “police clearance” report anymore prior to filing your application. The fingerprints, which are taken by the Support Center, provide all that the Immigration now needs. So don’t waste time going to the local police station to obtain such reports, the USCIS has not required such reports for several years now.

There has been very little news about comprehensive immigration reform lately because there really has been very little movement on the issue. Congress is in its August recess. Recently, the House of Representatives has been continuing to have its hearings, but no one seems to be paying any attention. There are reports that Senators negotiating with the House and are “guardedly optimistic" they can reach a deal when Congress gets back to work in September. Apparently, the key to a compromise lies in the incorporation of "triggers" on border security that will need to be met before legalization provisions in the Senate bill could take effect. I’ll keep you updated.  

THIS WEEK’S IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS:

DMV no longer issuing Driver’s Licenses & Renewals with I-131 & I-765 receipts!

It is getting more and more difficult for foreign nationals to obtain valid Driver’s Licenses in Florida. The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently announced that it will no longer be issuing initial driving licenses and renewals based upon receipts of for I-131 (Advance Parole). Clients are also informing me that the same is true of I-765 receipts (Employment Authorization). The only way driver’s licenses will be issued or renewed with an I-131 or I-765 is if it is accompanied with an I-485 (Adjustment of status) receipt with a recent computer printout from the USCIS website showing that the I-485 is still pending.

THIS WEEK’S IMMIGRATION TIP:

Options available now that H-1B Work Visas for 2007 Have All Been Used!