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| March 2009 Visa News |
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In this issue, we will discuss the visa bulletin for March 2009, and other important developments in immigration.
March 2009 State Department Visa Bulletin
If you are checking the status of your priority date, the Department of State is presently processing the following petitions with priority dates earlier than indicated.
A. Family-based Preferences
First Preference | Unmarried Sons and Daughter of Citizens | July 15, 1993 |
Second Preference | 2A. Spouse and minor children of permanent residents | July 1, 2004 |
| 2B. Unmarried sons and daughters 21 years old and over of Lawful permanent residents | December 1, 1997 |
Third Preference | Married sons and daughters of citizens. | June 8, 1991 |
Fourth Preference | Brothers and sisters of adult citizens. | May 15, 1986 |
B. Employment-based preferences | ||
First Preference | Priority Workers | Current |
Second Preference | Advanced Degree Professionals | Current |
Third Preference | Skilled Workers & Professionals | May 1, 2005 |
| Unskilled & Other workers | Mar. 15, 2003 |
| Scheduled A Workers | May 1, 2005 |
Fourth Preference | Certain special immigrants & current religious workers | Current |
Fifth Preference | Alien | |
Please note that for the month of March 2009, Employment- Based Third Preference visa (professionals and skilled workers) is available for the Philippine nationals with approved labor certifications or I-140 petitions with priority dates earlier than May 1, 2005. For Schedule A nurses and physical therapist, immigrant visa is also available for March 2009 if they have an approved I-140 petition dated earlier than May 1, 2005.
Third Preference visas for Unskilled Workers such as caregivers, nursing assistants and nannies are available for those Philippine Nationals with approved labor certifications dated earlier than March 15, 2003 for the month of March 2009.
Hot news of the week
1. Filing under the new late amnesty settlement starts on February 1, 2009 and ends on January 31, 2010. The requirements are: (a) the applicant came to the United States on a valid visa before 1982 and fell out of legal status between 1982 to 1988. (b) The violation of status must be known to the government. (c) They must have resided continuously in the United States from before 1982 to 1988. Some denied amnesty applicants may file again this time if (a) their application has not been adjudicated or (b) their Temporary Resident Status has been proposed for termination or (c) their applications were denied because the government believed that they failed to meet the requirement that their unlawful presence was continuous.
2. We again have successfully obtained a waiver of fraud or misrepresentation in Immigration Court for a green card holder who entered as single but actually married. The green card holder who has been in the United States for 17 years has a mother who is a US citizen.
3. Green cards without expiration date should be renewed. They have the alternative of applying for naturalization. Please call our office for questions about renewing green cards.
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