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Watson Law Offices Newsletter
December 2012
In This Issue
1. STEM Jobs Act
2. Holiday Travel Tips
3. Interview Waiver Program in India
4. December 2012 & January 2013 Visa Bulletins
5. FY 2014 H-1B Cap Filing Window Opens April 1st

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December 18, 2012
STEM Jobs Act Passed by House of Representatives
New Bill would add green cards for graduates of US PhD and Masters STEM programs but eliminate Diversity Visa Lottery

Realizing that a hard-line stance on immigration did not help them in the Election, Republicans have made immigration reform a new priority. However, this most recent attempt has been met with opposition from the Senate, as well as the White House.

The STEM Jobs Act was passed by the House of Representatives in a 245 to 139 vote, with overwhelming support from Republicans and opposition from Democrats. The Bill has now moved onto the Senate, but is being blocked from a vote by Senate Democrats.

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Holiday Travel Tips
Tips to ensure happy holiday travel

As you make trips home to visit family and friends during the holiday season, it is important to keep in mind your immigration documents and make sure everything is in order so that your return to the United States is not delayed.

It is important for every foreign national to review their immigration documents AND the documents of all of their family members traveling with them to make sure that they are prepared for a trip overseas. First, we recommend reviewing the "Travel Tips" section of our website for an overview of what to expect when you leave the U.S. and when you return.

Depending on your immigration status, you may need to obtain new or updated documentation before you leave or while you are abroad. Many of these documents can take some time to receive, and so we recommend that you make sure you have everything ready well in advance of your travel dates. If you have any questions or concerns specifically about your immigration status, be sure to contact our office before traveling abroad.


We hope that all of our readers have a happy and safe holiday season!  
U.S. Consular Posts in India Expand Interview Waiver Program
Visa Interviews may now be waived for some H-1B and L-1 visa renewals

The Consular Posts in India announced last month that the Visa Interview Waiver Program is being expanded to include some H-1B and L-1 visa renewals.

We hope that this Program will improve our clients' experiences when renewing visas at the Consular Posts in India. These Posts have been criticized for lengthy processing times and unnecessary administrative reviews of H-1B and L-1 visa applicants that have left many employees stuck outside of the U.S. for weeks and, sometimes, months.

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December 2012 & January 2013 Visa Bulletins
Visa Bulletin EB-2 India remains at a stand-still as we enter 2013

The U.S. Department of State has published the latest Visa Availability dates for December 2012 and January 2013.

In January, EB-2 Worldwide, Mexico, and the Philippines remain Current. EB-3 Worldwide and Mexico will advance cut-off dates to 2007 (February 1, 2007).

Additional visas are available for EB-2 China and the category has advanced slightly to December 8, 2007. EB-2 India has not advanced and continues to remain at September 1, 2004.

Watson Law Offices Summary of the

December 2012 & January 2013 Visa Bulletins

FY 2014 H-1B Cap Filing Window Opens April 1st
Thinking about filing an H-1B petition for your employee in FY 2014?

Now is the time to start! U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B Cap Petitions on April 1, 2013. That date may seem far away, but it will be more important than ever to get H-1B petitions to the government on April 1st next year.

Each Fiscal Year, the government may only issue 65,000 new H-1B visas. An additional 20,000 are set aside for graduates of U.S. Master degree programs.

The earliest USCIS may accept new H-1B petitions is April 1st. In the past, the quota for H-1B visas was exhausted on April 1st, but that had not been the case for the last couple of years. Visas regularly lasted well into the fall and winter. However, this year the Cap was reached in June 2012 - only three months after the government began accepting applications. Some employers who intended to sponsor an employee lost the opportunity. Don't find yourself in that place next year!

Many in the industry have been predicting that the FY 2014 H-1B Cap could be exhausted on or soon after April 1st. We encourage all clients who wish to sponsor an H-1B worker in the FY 2014 Cap to start working on the petition as soon as possible.


If you are an employer interested in hiring a foreign worker under the FY 2014 H-1B Cap, now is the time to contact us!

This is an effort on our part to reach out to our larger community of friends, colleagues, current and former clients and anyone interested in Immigration Law.  We expect there will be a strong push to make changes to existing Immigration Laws in the coming months and years, and we will try to keep our subscribers informed not only as to what changes are taking place, but how they are likely to impact everyone.


We welcome your input on what we should include, and how we should present this information. Please let us know what you think and what you would like to see.  Also, please share this email with anyone whom you think would be interested in and benefit from this information.

  

THANK YOU! 

 

 
Sincerely,


ROY J. WATSON, JR.
Watson Law Offices
142 Great Road
Bedford, MA 01730
rjw@watson-law.com
(781)533-7700  
The information you obtain in this newsletter is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice, and persons receiving this information should not act on it without consulting professional legal counsel. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail.