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U.S. Immigration
 
 
United States Immigration column and commentaries
 
FEB 2007: Manila Should Not Have Gone Through All the Trouble to Get NCLEX Site
 
FEB 2007: File now Before Sharp Rise in USCIS Fees
 
FEB 2007: Consulates No Longer Authorized to Adjudicate I-130s
 
JAN 2007: Personal Interview Now Required For Visa Applicants
 
DEC 2006: Proposed Visa Screen Blanket Denial is Unfair
 
NOV 2006: Hardship waiver of the two year J-1 Residency
 
JUN 2006: Senate Passes Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
 
APR 2006: Compromise Bill Emerges Despite Senate Bickering
 
MAR 2006: Immigration Reform: Looking beyond border patrols for answers
 
MAR 2003: Immigrant Visa Processing of Foreign Nurses
 
JAN 2003: Asylum and the Child Status Protection Act
 
DEC 2002: Recalculating Age for purposes of relief
 
NOV 2002: New relief for "Age-Out" cases
 
FEB 2002: Update: Child Citizenship Act of 2001
 
JAN 2002: Tips: Preparing your "B" visitor extension requests
 
DEC 2001: The U.S. economic downturn: How the non-immigrant can weather the storm
 
NOV 2001: Possible immigration consequences of the events of Sep. 11, 2001
 
APR 2000: Business immigration
 
MAR 2000: Employment-based adjustment applicants
 
FEB 2000: INS clarifies status of H1B woker while on leave
 
JAN 2000: Immediate opening for nurses
 
DEC 1999: Practical tips in dealing with the US consulate in Manila
 
NOV 1999: INS Processing delays and how to live with them
 
OCT 1999: How to maximize your changes of obtaining a B2 tourist visa
 
SEP 1999: In the aftermath of  245(i) who benefits?
 
 
 
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Edition:  þ FLORIDA   o  METRO (DC-MD-VA-NY)
 

US IMMIGRATION UPDATES

LEGAL NOTES / MAR 2007

 
Dilemma of the Out-of-Status RNs and PTs

By Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.
 
  The visa retrogression that hit Schedule A occupations last November like registered nurses (RNs) and physical therapists (PTs) has made a tremendous impact on the influx of immigrant workers to the US.

The unavailability of visa numbers in general has created tremendous difficulties in particular for foreign RNs and PTs in the US who wish to adjust their status to permanent residency. We have received several inquiries from them and they usually fall under either one of two situations.

There are those who have passed their licensure exams and have found employers willing to sponsor them for adjustment of status to permanent resident. There are also those who were able to file their adjustment applications before the retrogression but their applications were denied because they could not submit their Visa Screen certificates before the deadline set by the USCIS.

Quite a number of these foreign RNs and PTs have overstayed their temporary visa status.
 
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In an ideal world where immigrant visa numbers are still available (or at least where they would definitely be available within 6 months from expiration of their status), these foreign RNs and PTs could invoke Section 245 (k) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This provision allows them to apply for adjustment of status within 180 days from the time their authorized stay expired provided they have not otherwise violated the conditions of their stay.

But the situation at present is far from ideal. There are no available visa numbers for them and no one can tell when Congress will get around to legislating additional visa numbers.

Unfortunately, this puts those who have overstayed their temporary visas in a very tight spot. If they leave the US because they cannot adjust status, the 3-year / 10-year bar will kick in and they can kiss their dreams of getting a job in the US goodbye.
 
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Under immigration laws, those who have overstayed their temporary visa for over six months but less than a year will be barred from reentering the US for 3 years, while those who have overstayed for more than a year will be barred from reentering for 10 years.

It is still hard to say at this point when Congress will get around to passing the immigration reform law that would ease the visa backlog. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), the Judiciary Committee Chairman who led the passing of the Senate immigration reform bill last year, had reportedly discussed with Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) the need to get the bill done within the year.

As with most things, timing is crucial. Foreign RNs and PTs are well advised to consult an immigration attorney to discuss their options and hopefully, provide answers to the dilemma created by the visa retrogression.
 

REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. He was former immigration editor and is author of a book on immigrant experiences. He frequently speaks on immigrant issues and for his advocacy efforts he was the recipient of two presidential awards by President Ramos and an award by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. He previously taught business law and international politics. For further information, you may call him at 212 695 5281 or log on to his website at www.seguritan.com

 

 
 
 
 

 

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