USA Green Card Immigration Blog

When is the annual deadline for the Green Card Lottery and why should I consider registering early?

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If you wish to take part in the U.S. immigration lottery program, then the Green Card Lottery application form should be submitted to the appropriate government filing office before the Green Card Lottery deadline. Normally, the window period for submitting these Green Card Lottery application forms is very brief, lasting about two months. The window usually opens in October and the official Green Card Lottery deadline is usually in early December. The U.S. Government can change the exact timing of the lottery at any time. Therefore, it is imperative that you submit your Green Card Lottery application form as early as possible to avoid being caught off guard and out of the program. Green Card Lottery applications submitted after the Green Card Lottery deadline will not be eligible to participate in the current U.S. immigration lottery program.

Another reason to submit your form early is that the number of people who will apply to the annual U.S. Visa Lottery is expected to grow exponentially as the actual deadline draws closer; hence you are encouraged to submit your U.S. immigration lottery application form well before the Green Card Lottery deadline to get a head start on the visa application process. An early registration allows sufficient time to thoroughly review your application information, correct any mistakes, and identify and address any potential issues with your Green Card Lottery application.

If you wish to apply for the Green Card Lottery program through the tested and true help of a professional, you can trust that USA Green Card will offer you the best service. It is suggested that you submit your forms as soon as possible—even today! USA Green Card posts periodic suggested “apply-by” dates to encourage you to submit your application to the Visa Lottery as early as possible. This greatly helps with devoting the proper time and care to the preparation and review of your visa lottery application, thereby increasing the possibility of submitting your form to the US Department of State before the official Green Card Lottery deadline. Early registration also makes your Green Card Lottery application experience hassle-free. Your eligibility is verified, your information is reviewed, and you are notified if any errors are found—with plenty of time to make any corrections. The advantages to applying early are numerous. Definitely consider submitting your visa lottery application today to avoid the many problems that are possible when you apply at the last minute.

Commentary: Tragic neglect of immigration – CNN.com

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During his presidential election campaign, Barack Obama promised that comprehensive immigration reform would be a top priority of his administration.

Guess what?  With the country still swept up in the financial crisis and the pending fight for passage of national health care reform, it is becoming more evident that immigration is being pushed onto the back burner.

The latest word from the Obama administration is that the immigration issue is being pushed back to 2010–and probably 2011 is the more realistic and earliest year in which immigration will be addressed.

Comprehensive immigration reform should thus be viewed as an essential measure to protect human rights on our soil and continent. This is a time to think big, not small. This is about more than laws and lines drawn on a map.

It is about the origins of our humanity, not our nationality. Real people are suffering as raids continue, border deaths and hate crimes escalate, and families are destroyed.

America is known to many as the land of great opportunities, and many foreigners are flocking the country to make use of all the opportunities available. America, being a super power, is the hub for many sectors and foreign nationals believe that they can find a better livelihood in the United States of America than in their own country. This belief has resulted in the increase in the number of applications for different U.S. Visa programs. The most common of these U.S. Visa programs include the H-1B Visa program, Waiver Visa program, Green Card Lottery program, Spouse visa program, and more. Obtaining a visa is the only legal way to immigrate into the United States.

Among all the U.S. visa programs available, the most popular and the most beneficial is the Green Card Lottery program. This is technically known as the Diversity Visa program and is held annually by the U.S. Department of State. Every year, 50,000 foreigners from lesser developed nations are selected randomly as the Green Card Lottery winners and are offered a Green Card, also known as the Permanent Resident Card. The main reason for the popularity of the Green Card Lottery program is the fact that the Permanent Resident Card holder will be entitled to all the rights enjoyed by an American citizen, except the right to vote and to apply for federal jobs. Hence, the winner of the Diversity Visa Lottery can bring his family into the U.S. and settle down by making use of all the opportunities available.

The next popular US Visa program is the H-1B Visa program. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables US employers to appoint foreign workers in specialty jobs on a temporary basis. The regulation of the H-1B Visa program is that if the foreign employee is dismissed or wishes to quit, he/she must find another US employer, or apply for a change of status to another non-immigrant status, or must leave the US. Unlike the Permanent Resident Card, an H-1B visa cannot be used to stay in the US indefinitely nor can it be used to find a job other than a specialty job. This makes the Green Card Lottery program more preferable than the H-1B Visa program.

There is another U.S. Visa program that allows foreign nationals from developed countries with high-income economies to enter the US without the need for a visa. This program is called the Waiver Visa program, which was introduced in 1986 with an intention to increase tourism and short-term business visits to the United States of America. However, the foreign nationals eligible for the Waiver Visa program can stay in the United States only for 90 days for business or tourism purposes. Considering these conditions, the Diversity Visa Lottery program seems to be the most beneficial of all programs, because it allows the holder of the Permanent Resident Card to live and work in the U.S. relatively unrestricted.

No matter which visa program you opt for, getting a visa is a complicated process that involves strict rules and regulations. This applies for the Diversity Visa Lottery as well. A single mistake in the application form or missing critical documents will lead to immediate rejection. To avoid rejection, you can seek the services of consultants like USA Green Card who help you in preparing your application form without any mistakes. USA Green Card provides valuable information and suggestions with respect to the Green Card Lottery registration.

The Associated Press: Immigration rights activists retool reform efforts.

Activists disappointed that the Obama administration has not given immigration top billing are trying to yank the issue off the back burner by pressing ahead with lobbying and legislation plans they hope will reinvigorate reform efforts.

By honing in on national lawmakers they believe are sympathetic or can be swayed to support their cause and drawing on voters who said reform was a top priority, many immigrant rights advocates are striving to make headway at a time when the economy has become the top priority.

Many activists hoped Obama would push for immigration reform during his first 100 days in office. Some thought the president would go so far as to put a moratorium on immigration raids.

But the first hint of movement didn’t come until late last month when Obama met with about 30 lawmakers. Though some immigrant rights advocates praised the meeting and Obama’s vow to take up the issue this year, others complain he’s been too vague on his plans.

Should the U.S. increase its H-1B visa program? Wages belie claims of a labor shortage | NumbersUSA – For Lower Immigration Levels.

Once again, the tech industry is putting heavy pressure on Congress to expand the H-1B visa program. Though the industry says the foreign workers are needed to remedy a tech labor shortage, for most employers the attraction of H-1Bs visa holders is simply cheap labor. The H-1B visa program allows skilled immigrants to work in the United States on a temporary basis.