THIS WEEK’S IMMIGRATION NEWS

 The USCIS Begins Issuing New Combined Work & Travel Authorization Card To Green Card Applicants

The USCIS has now combined both employment and travel authorization together on a single card for applicants filing for Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residency (Green Card). Eligible applicants who file form I-765 (work authorization) and form I-131 (Application for Travel Document) along with their residency applications form I-485. This new card will serve as both an employment authorization and Advance Parole document. In the past, the travel authorization document called “Advance Parole” was simply a paper document. The new card looks similar to the current Employment Authorization Document (EAD) but also includes text that reads, “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole”

However, applicants for Green Cards must be extremely careful about travelling outside the U.S. while their residency case is pending if their I-94 cards were expired at the time of filing the I-485 application to adjust status. Most Green Card applicants who have maintained legal status in the U.S. prior to filing for residency AND who exit the U.S. while their Green Card applications are pending are subject to barred from re-entering the U.S. for between 3 to 10 years. 245(i) adjustment applicants who were required to pay the $1,000 Penalty with their Green Card applications must never travel outside the U.S. until they have received their U.S. Residency. Always seek legal immigration advice before travelling abroad once your I-94 card has expired.

Email Fraud Warning For Visa Lottery Applicants – Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scammers are very busy this year, sending out millions of fraudulent emails to immigrants both in the U.S. and world-wide with fake notifications of winning the yearly Diversity Visa Lottery, known as the “Visa Lottery”. One particularly widespread scam comes from a very official looking email address:

U.S. Department of State [email protected] with the caption “Congratulations, you've won !”

The email directs the “winner” to send the fee of $879 for each family member via Western Union to the fake U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom:
Name : Charles Reif
Address: 24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 2LQ
United Kingdom
Of course there is no such U.S. Embassy agent, just a very greedy scammer who is making millions of dollars from innocent immigrants with this very deceptive email. The U.S. Department of State (Kentucky Consular Center)  does not notify Visa Lottery winners by e-mail and beginning this year, no longer sends notification letters by mail. DV Lottery applicants must complete online applications and must now check the status of their entries by going online to the official Department of State website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov on or after May 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. No other organization or private company is authorized by the Department of State to notify Diversity Visa lottery applicants of their winning entry, or in the processing of applying for their visa. Applying for the Diversity Visa Lottery is always free and must be done through the official Department of State website. You can read more information about the Visa Lottery and about how to avoid scams by going to: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html AND

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html

THIS WEEK’S IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS

Question: Hi my sister is a permanent resident and she filed an I130 for me 2 years ago. The letter got approved, but now they are saying that she can no longer file for me because a sister cannot sponsor a sister. I was wondering if that is true, and if so, I can re appeal? Thank You.

Answer: Unfortunately, Permanent Residents are not eligible to sponsor their brothers or sisters. They have to wait until they are U.S. Citizens in order to do so. Permanent Residents can only sponsor their spouses and unmarried children. I hope this was helpful.

 ** Contributions to this Column are made by Attorney Caroly Pedersen, Esq. of the American  Immigration Law Center – Call 954-382-5378