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Biometric Passport Requirements Take Effect for Visa
Waiver Countries
As of October 26, 2006, VWP-participating countries
will be required to begin issuing passports with
integrated circuit chips containing biometric
information. Each VWP country appears to be at a
different stage in the development of producing
secure passports. VWP travelers who obtained
machine-readable passports (MRP?s) before
10/26/2006, will not be required to have a digital
photograph or contact-less chip. Therefore, given
that you obtained an MRP passport or renewed or
extended a passport before 10/26/2006, you will not
be required to get another passport for travel until it
expires. Please note that passports issued or
renewed/extended between 10/26/2005 and
10/26/2006 must be machine-readable and must
include a digital photograph printed on the biographic
data page. Passports issued, renewed/extended on
or after 10/26/2006, must be machine readable and
have the integrated chip.
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The US Chamber or Commerce reported this month in
its weekly commentary that ?America has been
knocked off its perch as the world?s most competitive
nation?, according to the Global Competitiveness
Report released the end of September 2006 compiled
by the World Economic Forum (WEF), an organization
that provides a platform for world leaders in politics,
business and academia to discuss big issues of the
day. The article went on to report that the USA
finished sixth this year in global competitiveness,
behind Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and
Singapore. One wonders how this could be. In light
of the recent stand-off between the House and
Congress, we are beginning to wonder if the USA will
ever have a business immigration system designed to
make businesses grow and prosper.
It has been said that the cap on H-1B?s is a cap on the US economy. We link below to testimony on this topic that was given well over a year ago to Congress by noted immigration attorney, Gary Endelman. What he had to say then is even more thought provoking and appropriate today. |
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A USCIS Press Release issued on 10/4/06 reminds
individuals with pending permanent residency
applications to obtain Advance Parole if they will not
be using a work-authorized visa to re-enter the
USA. Advance parole is permission to re-enter the
USA after traveling abroad in order to continue
processing for adjustment of status or other
benefits. One must be approved for Advance Parole
before leaving the USA. Travel outside the USA
without Advance Parole may result in serious
consequences, including being unable to return and
having pending immigration-related applications
denied. For more information on this topic, we link
below to the Press Release.
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House Judiciary Committee Approves Physicians for
Underserved Areas Act
The House Judiciary Committee on 9/27/06, amended
and passed the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act
(HR 4997), legislation that would reauthorize the J-1
visa waiver program for 2 years. The Progam permits
foreign-born doctors to remain in the US and receive
a waiver of the foreign country residence
requirement if they spend three years working in
geographic areas where a shortage of doctors
exists.
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Applications for the 2008 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery
will he accepted from noon (US Eastern Time)
October 4, 2006 to noon (US Eastern Time)
December 3, 2006. The DV Lottery form and all
instructions concerning eligibility,
education/experience, eligible countries and
application procedures will only be available through
the Department of State website (http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/) The lottery
program
offers an opportunity for a minimum of 50,000 DV
winners each year to obtain their green cards.
Eligibility is limited to persons from countries with low
rates of US immigration.
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Leslie Davis
Immigration Solutions
Phone:
562.433.5676
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