In: Immigration
How do I find out if my country is affected? Countries which have offices (and are therefore less affected; in some of these countries, substantial American communities are served by Consulates which directly process the I-130 petition for alien relative visa) as listed on the USCIS website: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
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Citizens in all other countries, and citizens who have Consular facilities outside the capital city (or wherever USCIS is located) will face a new process.
Those in countries where USCIS has an office have the option of either going to the USCIS office, or sending the I-130 to the Chicago lockbox.
If you live in a country without a USCIS office, you must send your I-130 to the Chicago Lockbox, where it enters into a muti-step process.
The current process is a one-stop process carried out by US Consular officials.
EMERGENCY MEET TUESDAY @ 6pm @ FCC - New Rule Restricts US Visas for family of Americans living in Cambodia
By Wayne Weightman on July 31st, 2011
Date:
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - 6:00pm
THIS NEW VISA RULE WILL AFFECT US IN CAMBODIA.
I have asked the US Embassy Consular Chief to send someone to our meeting.
We will be meeting on thefirst floor of FCC on the back terrace at 6pm Tuesday the 2nd of August (FCC is located on 363 Sisowath Quay)
Learn what the new rule means to you and what you can do to change it.
If you have a relationship with a non-U.S. citizen or have children who are not U.S. citizens, an important rule change (Rule) is about to take effect that will hamper your ability to move back as a family to the United States.
Whether you want to go to live in the US today does not matter.
Whether you have a foreign family now or not does not matter – your option of a quick return will be foreclosed forever on August 15 as a result of this rule.
The current system works extremely well with the process only taking 1-3 months. Immigration lawyersbelieve this change to immigration procedures will mean LONG delays (1-3 years) in getting approval to bring family members who are not U.S. citizens into the States to live permanently-- andwhile the application is pending, it will impede your non-American spouse's ability even to visit the USA.
Additionally, VISITOR VISA issuance will be restricted as a natural consequence of immigrant visas having long wait times. Consular officers will have to factor in possible circumvention intent by visitor visa applicants that have relationships to Americans because immigrant visas will now take a long time.
You may have already received the email from Ken Sherman, Chair of Democrats Abroad worldwide--but this issue is so important that I wish to draw your attention to it--as many of our members in Cambodia will be impacted.
This rule change goes into effect August15th -- so those impacted may wish to take steps immediately to avoid being caught in what potentially may become a bureaucratic nightmare. The reason for this rule change is, so far as we understand, a cost-shifting measure that has not been properly thought out.
If you intend to return to the US with your non-American spouse and children in the next year you should consult with a qualified US Immigration attorney before August 15th for information on how this change impacts you.
Democrats Abroad is seeking to clarify the situation and representations have been made to the top levels of the American government. It may be necessary to organize an action campaign to oppose this rule change -- and your support will be vital. If you are interested in this issue, please join the newly-formed Democrats Abroad Immigration Group here.
Members of Democrats Abroad are preparing a Fact Sheet and other tools such as petitions and sample letters.
We need to circulate this as amatter of urgency.
Please forward this email to any American friends, family or colleagues living abroad (anywhere!) married to non-U.S. citizens or with children who are non-U.S. citizens.
If you are affected personally and wish to join forces with others, please contact me orImmigration@DemocratsAbroad.org oractionagenda@democratsabroad.org so that an action committee can be formed.
Kind regards,
Wayne Weightman
Chair - CAMBODIA
URGENT ACTION ALERT - New Rule means it will take YEARS to return to live in the US with your foreign spouse and children
By Wayne Weightman on July 26th, 2011
There is a dangerous rule change impacting overseas Americans in most countries that takes effect August 15
For the Record: The Uniting American Families Act and Inequalities in Federal Immigration Law
By Christine Marques on June 2nd, 2009
On June 3rd, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on UAFA entitled "The Uniting American Families Act: Addressing Inequality in Federal Immigration Law”.
(Connie has asked me to send this with apologies due to computer problems). Dear DAF Excom, as many of you may know, DA leaders worldwide have been very active in drawing our members' attention to this sudden change in the procedure for obtaining entry status for foreignspouses and children of American citizens returning home from abroad. Immigration lawyer Wayne Weightman of DA Cambodia launched the campaign at DPCA and local level. Special thanks to Meredith Wheeler who got this into the Int Herald Tribune http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx#. first and then picked up by the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/13/us/13iht-immigration.html?_r=1. Be sure to note that every person in the article is from Democrats Abroad (Katie Solon is the new Treasurer of the DPCA). This has been really impressive global mobilization on the part of many. Connie