Page 3 - Us Citizenship

Prince Harry declares US as his new home, renounces British residency

According to documents obtained by Page Six, the Duke of Sussex listed the US as his "new country/state usually resident," a notable change from his previous ties to the UK

Gangs launch new attacks on upscale areas in Haiti's capital, dozens killed

Gangs attacked two upscale neighbourhoods in Haiti's capital in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas. Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise on Monday, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations pleading for police. The neighbourhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on February 29. An Associated Press photographer saw the bodies of at least 12 men strewn on the streets of Ptionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin. Crowds began gathering around the victims. One was lying face up on the street surrounded by a scattered deck of cards and another found face down inside a pick-up truck known as a "tap-tap" that operates as a taxi. A woman at one of the scenes collapsed and had to be held by others after learning that a relative of hers was killed. "Abuse! This is abuse!" cried out one Haitia

Initial registration period for in-demand H-1B visas to close on March 22

The initial registration period for the H-1B visas, the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals, for fiscal 2025 closes on March 22, a federal agency has said. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The initial registration period for the most sought-after H-1B visas for foreign guest workers for fiscal 2025 closes at 12 noon Eastern Time (9:30 pm IST) on March 22, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Monday. During this period, prospective petitioners and legal representatives must use an online account of US Citizenship and Immigration Services to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary. Online account users will also be ab

First charter flight carrying US citizens fleeing Haiti lands in Miami

A charter flight carrying dozens of US citizens fleeing spiralling gang violence in Haiti has landed in Miami, US State Department officials said. More than 30 US citizens were on the government-chartered flight that landed on Sunday, officials said in a statement. It arrived at the Miami International Airport after the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince earlier this month urged US citizens to leave "as soon as possible" as chaos grips Haiti. Passenger Avlot Quessa, who lives in Boston, travelled from the centre of the country to board the charter flight after going to Haiti last month for what was supposed to be a weeklong trip to visit his mother. "It's just terrible ... The suffering, you can only imagine," Quessa told the Miami Herald of the nearby Caribbean nation. "Haiti is my homeland and it's very stressful to see the homeland going through this act of violence, destruction ... and they are our neighbours." Haiti's main airport in Port-au-Prince remains closed following gang atta

59K Indians acquired US citizenship last yr, making up 6.7% of new citizens

Further, according to the report, 44,800 (5.1 per cent) of newly enlisted American citizens were from the Philippines and 35,200 (4 per cent) from the Dominican Republic.

US citizenship test set to change, to affect those with low English skills

The US citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency. The naturalization test is one of the final steps toward citizenship a monthslong process that requires legal permanent residency for years before applying. Many are still shaken after former Republican President Donald Trump's administration changed the test in 2020, making it longer and more difficult to pass. Within months, Democratic President Joe Biden took office and signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship. In that spirit, the citizenship test was changed back to its previous version, which was last updated in 2008. In December, US authorities said the test was due for an update after 15 years. The new version is expected late next year. US Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordin

US eases norms on eligibility criteria for those awaiting Green Card

The Biden administration has eased norms by releasing policy guidance on the eligibility criteria for those waiting for green cards to work and stay in America, days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US. Prime Minister Modi is visiting the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. They will host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. The visit also includes an address to the Joint Session of the Congress on June 22. The guidance issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the eligibility criteria for initial and renewal applications for Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) in compelling circumstances is expected to help thousands of Indian technology professionals who are in the agonisingly long wait for a Green Card or permanent residency. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted

Trump vows to end birthright citizenship if he wins in US prez polls 2024

"My policy will choke off a major incentive for continued illegal immigration, deter more migrants from coming and encourage many of the aliens Biden has unlawfully let into our country to go back"

Prez panel discusses EADs for those waiting for green card for over 5 yrs

A presidential advisory commission has discussed the possibility of issuing employment authorisation cards in early stages of green card application, a move if approved by the Biden administration would end the agonising wait for a green card. The recommendation proposes that the Department of Homeland Security's US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS-USCIS) grant employment authorisation documents (EADs) and travel documents to individuals who have approved I-140 employment-based visa petitions in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 categories, and who have been waiting in the visa backlog for five or more years regardless of whether they have filed applications for adjustment of status. Members of the President's Advisory Commissioner for Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander commission on Tuesday held a detailed discussion on the proposal moved by eminent Indian-American and its member Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who in his presentation highlighted the challenges faced by H1B visa ..

H-1B, EB-5 visa application fees to shoot up under proposed USCIS rule

H-1B visa petitioners would also need to pay $215 in pre-registration fees, up from the current $10 fee

TMS Ep327: Reliance FMCG, Byju's pains, Markets, EAGLE Act

Is FMCG the new battlefield between Ambani and Adani? Is Byju's experiencing growing pains? Will US Fed's hawkish pivot push Sensex to 58,000? How will EAGLE Act help Green Card seekers? Answers here

How will EAGLE Act help Green Card seekers?

Indians in the US, who have applied for the 'Green Card', have been facing long waiting periods. But, there is a silver lining on the horizon in the form of the EAGLE Act. What is the EAGLE Act?

US to issue 64,716 H2B visas for unskilled foreign workers for 2023

The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is unlikely to make any significant impact on Indians as most of them do not opt for it

Nearly one million immigrants gained US citizenship in FY22: Report

Nearly one million immigrants obtained US citizenship during 2022, the highest number of naturalized citizens in almost 15 years, according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services report

The integrated circuit wars

US chip sanctions on China should be a wake-up call for India to quickly scale up and boost its capabilities in this critical arena

Indian applicants will likely have to wait longer for the US green card

A total of 369,322 applicants, who have approved employment visa petitions, are awaiting visa availability under the EB2 and EB3 categories

India among top five countries of birth for naturalised US citizens

The USCIS said it would celebrate Independence Day this year by welcoming more than 6,600 new citizens in more than 140 naturalisation ceremonies between July 1 and July 8

Market research analyst gets qualified as specialty occupation: H1B Update

The settlement approved by the federal district court in the Northern District of California would now let companies request that the USCIS reopen and re-adjudicate their denied H-1B petitions.

US citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay

Less than a year after being on the verge of furloughing about 70 per cent of employees to plug a funding shortfall, the U.S. agency that grants citizenship, green cards and temporary visas wants to improve service without a detailed plan to pay for it, including granting waivers for those who can't afford to pay fees, according to a proposal obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department sent its 14-page plan to enhance procedures for becoming a naturalised citizen to the White House for approval on April 21. It involves U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of Homeland Security and has been operating entirely on fees, without funding from Congress. The plan describes short- and long-term changes that reflect a realistic assessment of our aspirations and limitations, including more video instead of in-person interviews with applicants, authorising employees to administer citizenship oaths instead of having to rely on federal judges, and ...

US: Biden administration reverts to 2008 version of citizenship test

On December 1 last year, USCIS implemented a revised naturalisation civics test, called the 2020 civics test, as part of a decennial test review and update process