USCIS
Is Open
The transit strike in New York City is causing chaos all over the
place, and those with scheduled appointments at United States Citizenship
and Immigration Service (USCIS) offices in the city and its outskirts
will also pay the price if they miss their time to appear. more... |
(Irish Voice) 21 December
2005
|
More
Citizenship
“I am an American by birth. However, I am of Irish decent and am
very interested in applying for dual citizenship. I was told that
this was not possible and I am confused as to why. I have family
from the Isle of Man and I believe there are still some relatives
that are in Dublin. Please advise as to if I can obtain citizenship
for Ireland and keep my citizenship here in the United States. I
want to eventually relocate to Ireland.” more... |
(Irish Voice) 21 December
2005
|
Challenging Citizenship
I have held Irish citizenship and a passport for several years through
my grandparents. I know my wife is eligible for Irish citizenship,
but I would like it for my children (ages 17 and 22) as well. more... |
(Irish Voice) 14 December
2005
|
‘Draft’ Registration
“Do females have to register for the draft in the U.S. after they
get their green cards? I heard that they did, and I’m afraid that
I’ll be in trouble with the law because I haven’t. How can I apply?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 14 December
2005
|
Filing
Taxes
I am a naturalized U.S. citizen, having lived and worked in New
York for the last 20 years. In July I will be moving to Mexico for
a year or two, and then I will be moving permanently home to Northern
Ireland. Do I have to continue to file taxes with the U.S. government
for the rest of my life? How do I do this? (I don’t imagine there
are any tax attorneys in Mexico or Ireland who know how to do this.)
more... |
(Irish Voice) 7 December
2005
|
Plans
for Wife
I am a naturalized American citizen. Next year I plan on marrying
my Irish fiancée. She lived here for a few months earlier this year,
but didn’t like it much and returned home to take care of her mother,
who has Alzheimer’s. more... |
(Irish Voice) 30 November
2005
|
Lottery
Deadline
The deadline for entering the annual DV-1 green card lottery is
noon on Sunday, December 4. more... |
(Irish Voice) 30 November
2005
|
Religious
Visas
“I am writing to you from England. I am Irish-born and so is my
brother, who is a Catholic priest. He is not planning on moving
from home anytime soon, but has said that he would love to go to
the U.S. at some point. Can he do that legally? Are there special
provisions for priests?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 28 November
2005
|
Backlog Reduction
Some holiday cheer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) customers in the New York metro area — the agency announced
productivity figures on Monday, and for the just ended fiscal year
2005, the New York district processed over 33,000 cases than it
had in the previous year. more... |
(Irish Voice) 28 November
2005
|
New Travel
Initiative
Remember the days when all you needed to go to and from Canada or
Mexico was a valid ID? Those times are coming to an end next year
with the advent of a program called the “Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative.” What it all means is that U.S. citizens will require
a passport to travel anywhere within the Western Hemisphere. Following
are a list of questions and answers about the new regulations from
the State Department.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 16 November
2005
|
Old Green Card
“I AM writing to you from Ireland. I won a green card in the Morrison
visa lottery in 1992. I lived in the U.S. for three years, returned
to Ireland for a year and then went back again to the U.S. for another
year. I’ve been living in Ireland since 1998. I’d like to go back
to the U.S. for a while and I’m wondering if there’s any way I can
reclaim my Morrison visa, as I’m sure it’s out of date now?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 10 November
2005
|
Holiday Warning
IT’S the time of the year when people make their holiday travel
plans, and with that in mind, the United States Citizenship and
Immigration Service (USCIS) has issued some timely advice for those
who are in the process of waiting for permanent residence to be
approved in the U.S. more... |
(Irish Voice) 10 November
2005
|
Returning to U.S.
My niece left the U.S. in September 2003 after her first trimester
of pregnancy because she wanted to give birth to her son in Northern
Ireland. She had originally arrived in November 2002, which means
she overstayed the visa waiver by seven months. more... |
(Irish Voice) 26 October
2005
|
Maintaining Options
I am an Irish citizen working in Florida on a H-1B visa. I was recently
married to a girl from Texas. I wish to fully keep my Irish citizenship,
but wish to maintain the right to come and go to the U.S. to work
and stay if we so desire.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 19 October
2005
|
Six Month Visitor
“I am a naturalized American citizen since 1965 presently living
in California. Can a six-month visa be granted to someone who I
want to visit me for that length of time? Are there special procedures
that need to followed and adhered to in such a case?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 12 October
2005
|
Lottery
Questions
As reported in last week’s Irish Voice, the application period for
the next round in the annual DV-1 green card lottery will take place
between Wednesday, October 5, 2005 and Sunday, December 4, 2005.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 5 October 2005
|
Lottery Confusion
“I wrote to you in over the summer with regards to my green card
lottery application. I have some follow up questions that I’m hoping
you can help me with. In your previous reply you stated that offers
were posted by the end of May. Mine was dated June 4 but I did not
receive it until July. I acted promptly on the initial offer and
returned the application the next day by express mail (48-hour delivery
from Ireland to the U.S). In your reply you stated that processing
had to be completed by September 30. Does this mean that the applications
are processed by this date, or that the embassy interviews are completed
by this date? It’s September 26, now and I have not been contacted.
Do you think I still stand a chance or have a missed out?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 28 September
2005
|
Fee Increases
USCIS is hiking application fees next month for most of the services
it provides, including naturalization, adjustment of status and
advance parole/re-entry permits. more... |
(Irish Voice) 28 September
2005
|
Affidavit
Worry
“I CO-signed an affidavit of support for my nephew, who married
a U.S. citizen two years ago. I did it without really thinking,
and I’ve been told that I shouldn’t have.”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 21 September
2005
|
Changing
Passport
“I am originally from Northern Ireland, now living in New Jersey.
Originally I had an H-1B visa when I first moved here but since
I married a U.S. citizen five years ago I am now a legal permanent
resident with a green card.”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 21 September
2005
|
Cutting
Time
"My husband is an American citizen and we’ve been married for almost
six years. For many complicated reasons, I’ve just received my green
card." more... |
(Irish Voice) 14 September
2005
|
English
Language
"Is English language still part of the U.S. citizenship requirement?"
more... |
(Irish Voice) 14 September
2005
|
Marriage Split
“I recently received a green card through my U.S. citizen husband
which was issued conditionally for two years. We are considering
separation, unfortunately, realizing we made a mistake. How will
this affect my legal status? My husband says he’ll help me, but
I can’t be sure. If we divorce right now, can I still have my green
card made permanent?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 31 August 2005
|
Absences,
Taxes
“I have held a green card for nine years. Most of the time I have
lived here, but in 1997 I was out of the U.S. for 14 months. Will
this affect my citizenship application?"
more... |
(Irish Voice) 24 August 2005
|
Test
Your Knowledge — Part 2
Last week’s column featured 50 questions, provided by United States
Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) commonly asked as part
of the mandatory U.S. history and civics exam that all candidates
for naturalization must take (and pass.) Here are the remaining
50, many of which are bound to stump a good few of us native-born
Americans! more... |
(Irish Voice) 17 August 2005
|
Test
Your Knowledge
Here's our annual summer feature containing the 100 most asked questions
during the oral examination part of the U.S. naturalization interview,
followed by answers. Look in our next issue for the remaining 50
Q&As. more... |
(Irish Voice) 10 August 2005
|
Lottery
Rush
"I have been applying for the green card lottery for several years
and this morning (July 2) my initial offer came in the post. I’m
down to the last 100,000 for the 55,000 visas. I’m a little worried
because mine arrived so late."
more... |
(Irish Voice) 27 July 2005
|
Irish Students Flock to
U.S.
Irish students are flocking to America this summer. The American
Embassy in Dublin has just announced that J-1 temporary working
visas issued to Irish students are up 50% from last year. more... |
(Irish Voice) 20 July 2005
|
Passport Changes
A website I saw last week said that in order to enter the U.S.,
Irish people would need a ‘machine readable’ passport. I am a green
card holder with a passport issued in 2003 by the Irish Consulate
in New York.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 13 July 2005
|
Child Passports
“I am an American citizen. I got my citizenship through my ex-husband
who I divorced two years ago. We had two children together, ages
12 and 10. I would like to bring them out of the country this summer
for a holiday in Ireland, but they do not have passports. Does my
husband have any say in getting them U.S. passports? We did not
part on the best of terms, and he could well deny my request. Would
it be best if I just got Irish passports for my kids?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 6 July 2005
|
Student Visa
“I am planning on attending college and have already been accepted
into a local one in the city where I live, even though I am undocumented.
(I should have departed last February.) I have heard that I can
get a student visa as I will be studying practically full-time.
Is this true, and if so, how do I do so? I am a hard worker and
have always maintained excellent grades in Ireland.”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 6 July 2005
|
Domestic Strife
“My wife and I have been married for two years. We have a child
together. She is an American citizen. She had an order of protection
filed against me during a rough patch in our marriage, and it’s
since been lifted, and domestic charges against me have been dropped...”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 29 June 2005
|
Credit for USCIS
It's time to give the USCIS (formerly INS) credit where it’s due.
The agency is going to great lengths to make itself more efficient
and customer friendly, as its website and a series of other recent
initiatives clearly prove.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 29 June 2005
|
Can
He Come Home?
“Is there any way possible to get around the problem of an undocumented
Irish person in the U.S. who dearly wishes to come home for a while
to see his family, particularly his father who is ailing? Our son
has been over there for three years and he hasn’t been home at all,
and he says he can’t risk it. Is he right, or is he being conservative?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 22 June 2005
|
Divorce
& Sponsorship
“I divorced my husband last year. We were married for seven years
and I received my green card and citizenship through him. I am hoping
to marry my Irish boyfriend in the coming year, and he plans on
living here with me. Is there any impediment to me acting as a sponsor
for him, seeing as I obtained my status through an ex-American husband?
Is there anything he could do to upset my plan, as we didn’t part
on the best of terms? Am I somehow less of a U.S. citizen than someone
born here?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 22 June 2005
|
Am I Eligible?
“I am e-mailing you from Dublin to inquire about work permits. I
have an interview later in this month for a post-doctoral job in
the U.S. I am very keen to take the post if offered but am not too
sure what the story is with obtaining a visa. I have a PhD and so
would be bringing an expert knowledge to the U.S. Do you know if
the process is lengthy and which visas would be applicable for me,
and most importantly, am I likely to get one?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 15 June 2005
|
J-1 Job Switches
“My son and daughter will soon be traveling to the U.S. on J-1 visas.
They have jobs lined up already, and accommodation, but if they
do not like what they are working at, can they switch jobs, or do
they have to come home? My daughter was told that she would have
to stay in the same job no matter what. Also, can they work two
jobs if they like? And will the Social Security number they receive
be good for life?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 15 June 2005
|
Permit Renewals
“I married my American citizen husband close to three years ago.
I am still waiting for a green card interview. I have a work permit
that I’ve already renewed once, but do I have to still keep doing
this, even though the delay in getting my green card isn’t my fault?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 15 June 2005
|
Re-Entry Permit
“I have a green card that was issued two years ago. My husband is
an American citizen. I am returning to Ireland for the foreseeable
future with our two children who were born here. My husband will
eventually join us permanently. He is extremely busy with work and
we’ve decided for the time being to see how this arrangement works.
I remember reading about something that would keep my green card
valid while we’re away. Will I need to have this form, as we’ll
be making trips back and forth?”
more... |
(Irish Voice) 8 June 2005
|
Passport News
A couple of news items with regards to U.S. passports — all visitors
entering the U.S. as part of the visa waiver program must do so
with a machine readable passport starting on June 26.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 8 June 2005
|
I-94
Surrender
The I-94 card that all visitors receive upon admission to the U.S.
serves a dual purpose. It shows the date of arrival and the date
by which the holder must leave the U.S. According to U.S. law, the
I-94 card stapled into the holder’s passport must be surrendered
upon departure. more...
|
(Irish Voice) 30 March 2005
|
Self-Petitioning
I have been married to a U.S. citizen for two years. We have one
child, which is why we got married. I applied for a green card through
my wife. The marriage has been awful with violence on her part towards
me, and I need to get out. more...
|
(Irish Voice) 30 March 2005
|
Fast
Track End
“I've heard of an immigration program called the fast track. My
lawyer filed my husband’s application in last March and called us
the other day and told us about the fast track program where he
should get his green card in 90 days if we reapply. Can you fill
me in?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 23 March 2005
|
2006
Lottery Visas
The State Department reports that over 6.3 million entries for the
2006 diversity visa lottery were received during the two-month electronic
registration period which ended on January 7 of this year.
more... |
(Irish Voice) 23 March 2005
|
Divorce
in Ireland
“I am an American citizen. I married an Irishman in New Jersey in
1993. He was illegal at the time, but he received his green card
through me and eventually, his U.S. citizenship. We moved to Ireland
in 2000... more...
|
(Irish Voice) 17 March 2005
|
Dual Nationality
According to a spokesperson at the Irish Consulate in New York,
it is not standard procedure to tell citizenship applicants that
there may be a problem with their U.S. citizenship.
more... |
(Irish Voice)
9 March 2005
|
Advance Parole
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) issued
a press release last week advising adjustment of status applicants
with summer vacation plans to first obtain advance parole before
leaving the U.S. more...
|
(Irish Voice)
2 March 2005
|
Fast
Track End
“I’ve heard of an immigration program called the fast track. My
lawyer filed my husband’s application in last March and called us
the other day and told us about the fast track program where he
should get his green card in 90 days if we reapply. Can you fill
me in?” more... |
(Irish Voice) 24 February
2005
|
Child
Passports
“I am an American citizen. I got my citizenship through my ex-husband
who I divorced two years ago. We had two children together, ages
12 and 10...more... |
(Irish Voice) 17 February
2005
|
Multiple Entries
“When entering the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa last month I received
a stamp saying I could stay for six months. If you leave the U.S.
within the six months does this stamp become void? What happens
if you want to return to the U.S. again before the six months are
up?
more... |
(Irish Voice) 10 February
2005
|
Marriage
Pilot Program Ends
There's bad news to deliver for recently married couples awaiting
quick adjustment of status processing at the USCIS Federal Plaza
office in downtown Manhattan.
more...
|
(Irish Voice) 3 February
2005
|
Travel to Cuba
“I have an Irish passport, as I was born in Ireland. I am also an
American citizen, as I was naturalized seven years ago.(...)
more...
|
(Irish Voice) 26 January
2005
|
Helping a Brother
“My brother is 27 and lives in Ireland. He is unemployed and has
a couple of minor convictions. He served three months in prison
approximately six years ago.(...)
more...
|
(Irish Voice) 19 January
2005
|
Social Security
“How do I apply for a Social Security number? I recently received
my green card and my employer is asking me for a number.(...)
more...
|
(Irish Voice) 13 January
2005
|
Affidavit Problems
“I married an American citizen almost four years ago. I have two
children from a previous marriage who got their green card through
my marriage...
more...
|
(Irish Voice) 5 January 2005
|
