移民局B表同步国务院20150515
EB-5投资人翘首以盼的美国移民局B表今天终于公布,中国大陆EB-5的收件截止日期为2015年5月15日,与美国国务院同步。见下表:
美国移民局B表同步国务院B表,为什么是一个重大的利好信号:
B表相当于排期的远期指数,A表相当于排期的当前指数。移民局同步国务院,将B表收件截止日定在2015年5月15日,说明即使是相对保守的移民局,也对排期的远期前景展现乐观。
国务院与移民局B表中越南、印度等国家均没有排期,说明这些国家对我们一年后的远期影响不大。
又一个中国EB-5投资人排期最黑暗的时期已经过去的重要信号。
同时,我们也要以平常心对待B表的进步,我们估计B表大幅进步于A表,应当是一个长期持续的现象,不只是短期一两个月的暂时现象,所以投资人不必为抢时间而着急。可以预见,如果中介公司们象以前一样大肆鼓动投资人提前登录美国递交485,不排除美国移民局再次把B表收件截止日期缩短。所以,还是让我们保持平常心,顺势而为,如果确实已经在美国,并且符合在美国境内递件485的条件,就通过律师尽快准备。如果不在美国,不要勉强为之。
下面附上兆隆投友会EB-5主任律师Yevgeny Samokhleb的B表指导文章。
Understanding the NVC and USCIS Visa Bulletins
NVC和USCIS移民排期公告解读
By 作者: Yevgeny Samokhleb律师
Every month the National Visa Center (NVC) and USCIS publish a Visa Bulletin that announces which priority dates are eligible for immigrant visa processing. Priority dates are based on the date that a petition for an immigration benefit was initially submitted. Because there are more applicants for immigration every year than there are available visas, approved immigrants must wait in a visa queue until their priority date becomes available.
美国国家签证中心(NVC)和移民局(USCIS)每月都会发布移民排期公告,公布移民签证办理的优先日期进度。优先日期,即申请人最初递交移民申请的日期。因为每年的移民申请人数多于可签发的签证数量,所以获批的移民申请人必须排队等待签证名额,直到排期前进到他们的优先日期。
The monthly Visa Bulletin consists of two charts. Chart A is called “Final Action Dates,” and shows priority dates for which a visa is available. Chart B is called “Dates for Filing,” and shows priority dates for which paperwork may be preliminarily submitted. Priority dates become available for processing per Chart B first – several months or even years before the actual visas become available per Chart A. The purpose of Chart B is to enable immigrants to prepare and file their necessary paperwork in advance. Subsequently, when their priority date become current per Chart A, they will only need to attend a visa interview to complete their case.
月度排期公告包括两个表格。表A是“绿卡批准排期”,显示可签发签证的优先日期;表B是“递件排期”,显示可递交申请文件的最早日期。表B排期进度快于表A排期数月甚至数年不等。表B的目的是让移民申请人可以提前准备递交必要的文件。这样,当表A显示排期前进到申请人优先日的时候,申请人只需去面签即可完成移民申请。
NVC publishes its Visa Bulletin around the middle of each month, and USCIS publishes its own within a week thereafter. For immigrants going through NVC consular processing, Chart B on the NVC Visa Bulletin will inform them of eligibility to file the DS-260 Immigrant Visa Application. For immigrants who are already in the United States on a temporary visa, Chart B on the USCIS Visa Bulletin will inform them of eligibility to file an I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status.
NVC大概每月中旬公布排期,USCIS则在其后一周内公布。对于正在办理NVC领事手续的申请人,NVC排期表B将告知他们可递交DS-260移民签证申请的日期。对于已经持临时签证入境美国的申请人, USCIS排期表B将告知他们可递交I-485身份调整申请的日期。
Though the two Visa Bulletins are related, they are not identical. Chart A visa availability dates will always be the same for both NVC and USCIS. However, Chart B filing eligibility may vary. Chart B is based on anticipated application demand and the processing capacity of each agency. Due to long processing backlogs, USCIS often disallows I-485 filings per Chart B or restricts them to only certain immigration categories. Thus, it is considered a privilege to be able to file an I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status based on Chart B.
两个排期表虽有关联,但是并不完全相同。表A上NVC和USCIS显示的签证可签发日期是始终一样的,而表B显示的可递交日期却可能不同。表B的排期按预期申请需求以及每个机构的审理能力而定。由于处理积压申请的时间长,USCIS通常不允许根据表B递交I-485,或者对其移民申请类别进行限制。因此,能够基于表B递交I-485申请身份调整被视为一种优待。
It is important to note that those who may be eligible to file an I-485 Application in the United States should not always immediately do so. For those who arrived in the U.S. on a temporary nonimmigrant visa, an I-485 should usually not be filed until at least 90 days after their date of entry. Filing an I-485 sooner creates a possible risk of being found of having misrepresented their entry intent in a way that’s inconsistent with the intended purpose of such nonimmigrant visas. However, those who are in the U.S. in H-1B or L-1 status are exempt the 90-day rule, and may file an I-485 application at any time.
需要注意的是,符合在美国递交I-485的申请人并非都应立即递交申请。对于已经通过临时非移民签证入境美国的申请人,通常应在入境至少90天后再递交I-485申请。提早递交申请可能会导致移民局怀疑申请人的入境意图与非移民签证的预期意图不一致。但是,如果申请人在美国持有H-1B签证或L-1签证,则不用考虑这一点,可随时递交I-485申请。
For beneficiaries of an approved immigration petition, NVC and USCIS each provides a route to the same Green Card, but the process is different. Both require similar paperwork, which largely consists of personal biographic information and documents such as passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc. However, each one also has some advantages and disadvantages.
对于移民申请获批的受益人,NVC和USCIS都提供获得相同绿卡的途径,但审理过程不同。两者要求的文件类似,基本上包括个人履历信息及护照、出生证、结婚证等文件。但是两者各有其优缺点。
Filing an I-485 with USCIS grants applicants immediate lawful status in the United States, and supersedes their existing temporary visa. Within approximately a month of filing, applicants will receive an appointment for fingerprinting at a local USCIS office. Applicants also typically file a simultaneous Form I-765 and Form I-131, which upon approval respectively grant the right to work and travel until a Green Card is issued. Without an I-131 travel document, I-485 applicants may not leave the U.S. before they obtain a Green Card. Thus, it is always advisable to apply for a travel document – especially for those who file an early I-485 Application per Chart B. With an I-131 Application for Advance Parole, applicants may leave the U.S. after the travel document is approved. Both the I-765 and I-131 are typically approved within 3-5 months, and applicants are issued employment and travel documents that are usually valid for 2 years and can be renewed thereafter if the Green Card application still remains pending.
向USCIS递交I-485的申请人可直接获得在美国的合法身份,并取代他们现有的临时签证。递交申请后一个月左右,申请人即可收到USCIS当地办事处的打指纹预约。通常,申请人还会同时递交I-765和I-131表格,表格获批后,申请人在绿卡尚未发放期间可以出入美国,在美国工作。如果没有I-131回美证,I-485申请人在获得绿卡前就不得离开美国。因此,我们一般建议申请回美证,尤其是那些按照表B提早递交I-485的申请人。I-131回美证获批后,申请人便可离开美国。I-765和I-131申请获批通常需要3至5个月,证件有效期通常为2年,到期后如果绿卡还未发放,可申请续签。
Obtaining a Green Card through the NVC process is generally less expensive ($565 vs $1,225 per family member) and much quicker (a few months vs 1-2 years) than with USCIS, but does not provide the security and comfort of residing in the U.S. during the application process. It should be noted that unless derivative family members (spouse and children) file simultaneously and together with the primary applicant, they will have to wait until the primary applicant receives his or her Green Card. Thus, if the petitioner lives in China while his or her child is a student residing in the U.S., the child may not file a I-485 application separately from the parent petitioner unless the parent first completes the NVC visa process and enters the United States. Therefore, once the time for filing arrives, immigrant families will have to weigh their available options and determine the one most suitable for them.
相比于USCIS,通过NVC审理获取绿卡通常花费更少(每个家庭成员565美元,USCIS为1225美元),速度更快(几个月即可,而USCIS为1至2年),但是不允许申请人申请期间在美国居住。另外还有一点,如果主申请人的家庭成员(配偶和子女)不是和主申请人一起同时递交申请的话,其成员必须等主申请人获得绿卡。因此,如果申请人在中国居住,而子女在美国就读的话,其子女不得单独递交I-485申请,除非父母已经完成NVC签证办理并入境美国。所以,一旦到了递交时间,移民家庭必须权衡分析,选择最合适的递交方式。
Yevgeny Samokhleb律师