Immigration Newsletter

Friday, January 16, 2015

Immigrants Can Get Mexican Birth Certificates in U.S. - NBC News.com

Immigrants Can Get Mexican Birth Certificates in U.S. - NBC News.com





Starting Thursday, Mexico's 50 consulates in the U.S. will be able to issue birth certificates to Mexican citizens. The move will make it easier for Mexican immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, passports, work permits and protection from deportation under President Obama's upcoming executive action.
"It helps individuals really begin to formulate their formal identity in this country," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. Prior to this change some immigrants in the U.S. relied on relatives in Mexico to get their birth certificates, which was a longer and more difficult process.
About half of the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are from Mexico, and experts believe about 3 million could be eligible for executive action under Obama's plan.
Mexican consulates will be able to access data from regional governments. Some rural villages where documents are not digitally recorded may not be covered, but consulates should be able to issue birth certificates for nearly all birthplaces.
Jessica Vaughan, policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies which advocates for tighter limits on immigration, said it is important that the U.S. communicate with Mexico to ensure the system is established effectively and with integrity.








 Drew Law Office, PLLC -- Immigration Lawyers Metro Manchester NH (603) 644-3739 or www.immigrationNH.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Recent Announcements - Drew Law Office, pllc.

Syria TPS Redesignation/ Extension Recent Announcements - Drew Law Office, pllc.



WASHINGTON - Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has redesignated Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and extended the existing TPS designation for the country from April 1, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2016. This allows eligible nationals of Syria (or persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Syria) to register or re-register for TPS in accordance with thenotice published today in the Federal Register.
Who is EligibleCurrent TPS StatusWhere to File
Current TPS beneficiaries from SyriaHave TPSTo extend your TPS, you must re-register during a 60-day re-registration period that runs from Jan. 5, 2015, through March 6, 2015.
Syrian nationals and persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Syria, who have:
  • Continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 5, 2015, and
  • Been continuously physically present in the United States since April 1, 2015.
Do not have TPSTo obtain TPS, you may apply for TPS during a 180-day initial registration period that runs from Jan. 5, 2015, through July 6, 2015.
During the past year, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State reviewed the conditions in Syria. Based upon this review, Secretary Johnson determined that a redesignation and 18-month extension of TPS for Syria is warranted due to an ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Syria that prevent its nationals from returning in safety.
Individuals re-registering for TPS:
Current Syrian TPS beneficiaries seeking to extend their TPS status must re-register during a 60-day period that runs from Jan. 5, 2015, through March 6, 2015. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to re-register as soon as possible once the 60-day period begins. USCIS will not accept applications before Jan. 5, 2015.
The 18-month extension allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Eligible Syria TPS beneficiaries who re-register during the 60-day period and request a new EAD will receive one with an expiration date of Sept. 30, 2016. USCIS recognizes that some re-registrants may not receive their new EADs until after their current EADs expire. Therefore, USCIS is automatically extending current TPS Syria EADs with a March 31, 2015, expiration date for an additional six months. These existing EADs are now valid through Sept. 30, 2015.
To re-register, individuals must submit:
Individuals applying for TPS for the first time:
For Syrian nationals (and persons having no nationality who last habitually resided in Syria) who do not currently have TPS, the TPS redesignation may allow them to apply for TPS if they have continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 5, 2015, and have been continuously physically present in the United States since April 1, 2015. In addition, applicants must meet all other TPS eligibility and filing requirements.
To apply for the first time, individuals must submit:
Individuals who still have a pending initial TPS application under Syria do not need to submit a new Form I-821. However, if such individuals currently have a TPS-related EAD and want a new EAD, they must submit:
DHS anticipates that approximately 5,000 individuals will be eligible to re-register for TPS under the existing designation of Syria and estimates that approximately 5,000 additional individuals may be eligible for TPS under the redesignation.
Applicants may request that USCIS waive any fees based on inability to pay by filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or by submitting a written request. Fee-waiver requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation. USCIS will reject the TPS application of any applicant who fails to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee-waiver request.
Additional information about TPS for Syria—including guidance on eligibility, the application process and where to file—is available online at www.uscis.gov/tps. The Federal Register notice published today contains further details about this extension and redesignation of Syria for TPS, including application requirements and procedures, and the automatic six-month extension of current TPS Syria EADs.
All USCIS forms are free. Applicants can download these forms from the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/forms or request forms by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.
Applicants seeking information about the status of their individual cases can check My Case Status Online or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).
For more information about USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow USCIS on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter(@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.


 Drew Law Office, PLLC -- Immigration Attorneys, Manchester Metro, NH (603) 644-3739 or www.drewpllc.com