TPS Clinic at Queen Public Library

The Queens Public Library in Merrick is holding a TPS clinic to assist eligible Haitians in obtaining Temporary Protected Status due to the devastating earthquake in January 2010. The event will be held today, May 26, 2010 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11432 and is within walking distance of the F train's 169th Street station.

Free Guidance on Immigration and Citizenship Issues Through NY Daily News and CUNY Citizenship Now!

The NY Daily News and the CUNY Citizenship Now! are offering free immigration and citizenship information this week over the phone. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is co-sponsoring the event. Guidance will be provided in English and Spanish. Additionally, volunteers will have the ability to speak other languages including Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and Haitian Creole. Last year, the call-in assisted over 14,000 immigrants.

Vanesa I. Pagan, will be supervising a team and providing legal services at the event on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Dates: Monday, April 26th through Friday, April 30th

Time: 9 AM to 7 PM

English Hotline: 212-330-6505

Spanish Hotline: 212-330-6506

For other languages, please call the English hotline and ask the volunteer for additional language availability.

For further information, please click here for the Daily News article.

Citizenship Application Assistance Day in New York City - April 17, 2010

In honor of Immigrant Heritage Week, CUNY Citizenship Now! is sponsoring a citizenship application assistance day on Saturday, April 17th from 11 to 3 PM (doors close at 2PM). Free legal assistance will be provided to lawful permanent residents applying for naturalization.

Legal assistance will be provided by experienced immigration attorneys and professionals at the following locations:

Bronx:
Bronx Community College
2155 University Avenue, Colston Hall Lower Level
Bronx, NY 10468

Brooklyn:
Brooklyn College
East 27th Street & Campus Road
Student Center, 2nd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11210

Manhattan:
P.S. 2 Meyer London School
122 Henry Street, Cafeteria
New York, NY 10002

Queens:
Queens Library at Langston Hughes
100-01 Northern Boulevard, 2nd Floor Auditorium
Corona, NY 11368

Staten Island:
Project Hospitality Help Center
514 Bay Street
Staten Island, NY 10304

Haitians Granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows nationals of designated countries to remain and work legally in the United States until they can safely return home. Countries are designated for TPS when a temporary negative condition occurs, including an environmental disaster. Due to the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010, Haiti has been designated for TPS for an 18-month period. In order to qualify for this status, among other criteria, applicants must prove that they have continuously resided in the U.S. since January 12, 2010 and have been physically present since January 21, 2010.

H-1B Cap Reached for Fiscal Year 2010

Currently there is a statutory cap of 65,000 H-1B visas per year. Exempt from this cap are 20,000 applicants with advanced degrees from the United States. On December 21, 2009, the USCIS received enough H-1B visa applications to meet the statutory cap for the 2010 fiscal year. The USCIS has also received sufficient applications for the advance degree exemption. H-1B visa petitions will be accepted for the 2011 fiscal year on April 1, 2010 for an October 1, 2010 start date.

H-1B and H-2B visa Cap Exemption in CNMI and Guam

H-1B visa applicants that will be performing labor or services limited to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are exempt from the numerical limitations for H-1B visa classification.  The exemption came into affect with the implementation of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 on November 28, 2009.  The exemption lasts until December 31, 2014.