FAQs
1- What are the current visa priority dates being processed?
Department of States publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin summarizing the availability of immigrant visa numbers at:
2- What is the current H-1B Quota Count?
USCIS updates H-1B Cap Counts and publishes them at:
3- Where can I apply for the DV Green Card Lottery?
You can apply for the Diversity Lottery 2013 at:
https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
4- What is the current H-2B Quota Count?
USCIS updates H-2B Cap Count and publishes it at:
http://www.uscis.gov/h-2b_count
5- What are current USCIS Service Center Processing Times?
USCIS Processing Times information can be found at:
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do
6- How many employment-based green card categories are there?
There are five employment-based preferences:
“EB-1: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
EB-2: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
EB-3: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “*Other Workers”.
EB-4: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
EB-5: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of Pub. L. 102-395.” *
*Department of State, Visa Bulletin
7- How many family-based green card categories are there?
There are four family-based preferences:
“F1- Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
F2: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
F2A- Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
F2B- Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
F3- Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
F4- Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.” *
*Department of State, Visa Bulletin
8- What is OPT (Optional Practical Training)?
“Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Under the prior rules, an F-1 student could be authorized to receive up to a total of 12 months of practical training either before (pre-) and/or after (post-) completion of studies.” *
* www.uscis.gov
9- What is 17 month OPT extension?
“F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees included on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, and are employed by employers enrolled in E-Verify, and who have received an initial grant of post-completion OPT related to such a degree may apply for a 17-month extension.”*
* www.uscis.gov
10- What are the STEM Degrees?
The STEM Degree Programs include the following courses of study:
– Computer Science Applications
– Biological and Biomedical Sciences
– Mathematics and Statistics
– Engineering
– Engineering Technologies
– Physical Sciences
– Actuarial Science
– Medical Scientist
– Science Technologies
– Military Technologies