Social Security Administration update on invalid social security numbers

In its continuing efforts to provide social security number verification, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently released a list of numbers which indicate that a social security number is not valid. The following is a list of the first three digits of social security numbers which are invalid because they have never been issued or assigned by the SSA: 000, 666, 900, 772, 800, 900. For instance, a Social Security number which begins with 666-xx-xxxx would not be valid.

New USCIS policy allows battered children to apply for immigration benefits up to age 24

A new USCIS policy extends eligibility for abused children to file for immigration benefits under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through age 24 in certain circumstances. As background, the VAWA law allows eligible battered spouses (male and female), children and parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents (green card holders) to apply for immigration benefits leading to a green card. In the past, the law limited the age an abused child could file to 21. However, under the new policy, a child may now file for benefits through age 24, by showing evidence that the abuse suffered by the child was at least one reason for the filing delay in seeking immigration benefits.

 USCIS Ombudsman updates procedures for case resolution assistance program

The Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services' Ombudsman provides assistance in resolving immigration case problems with USCIS for individuals who have failed to get results from the USCIS' customer service system and local INFOPASS appointments. Here are the steps required as part of obtaining assistance in getting your case resolved:

1. Call the USCIS at: 1-800-375-5283 – explain your problem, request assistance and a letter confirming your call.

2. Make an INFOPASS appointment at your local USCIS office if your case was not resolved then.

3. Request assistance from the Ombudsman's office by email,  or fax:

USCIS now allows tourist visa extensions for same and opposite sex cohabitating partners, elderly parents and multiple wives

On August 17, 2011, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a new immigration policy to greatly expand the use of tourist visa extensions to include "Cohabitating Partners and other non-immigrant Household Members". In the past, only spouse and minor children under age 21 were eligible.

A Cohabitating Partner is defined as long-term opposite or same-sex partner. A "household member" is defined as an individual who "... regularly resides in the same dwelling as the principal non-immigrant and with whom the principal non-immigrant maintains the type of relationship and care as one normally would expect between nuclear family members." This brave new immigration policy applies to cohabitating partners and household members of foreign nationals who are maintaining legal immigration status in the U.S. on non-immigrant visas, for example: F-1, J-1, H-1B, L-1, E-2, etc. In such cases, eligible cohabitating partners and household members of the foreign national holding the non-immigrant visa, who are in the U.S. on B-2 tourist visas may apply to extend their B-2 status in six month increments for the duration of the principal alien's non-immigrant status. To be eligible, applicants must be in the U.S. in legal status, with an UNEXPIRED I-94 card. Those with expired I-94 cards do not qualify. Here are a few examples of how the new policy can benefit individuals:

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW POLICY: On August 18, 2011 Secretary of Department of Homeland Security (DOS) Janet Napolitano announced a long anticipated new government immigration policy directed towards how the Department of Justice (DOJ), Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) should handle the prosecution of immigrants who are already in government custody or who are arrested in the future . The new policy is called "Prosecutorial Descretion" and is NOT an Amnesty!!! It only applies to immigrants who are unfortunate enough to be arrested by one of the above agencies.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE NEW POLICY

Under the new policy, DOJ officials will review all cases which are already pending before the immigration courts and those considered "low priority" may be administratively closed. Those considered a "high priority," involving criminal and other serious issues will be prosecuted more aggressively. For cases that the DOJ decides should be closed or simply not prosecuted, the immigrant will NOT automatically be given any legal immigration status, however, he or she will simply no longer face deportation. Those immigrants who already have an order of removal may not be forced to leave the U.S. and may instead be eligible to have their case "reopened" in order to apply for residency through a qualifying family member. In the future, this policy may allow certain immigrants whose cases are closed to apply for a work permit (employment authorization document or "EAD"), but for now, no such option exists.