Immigration Blog

Happy to Help: Showing Our Customers That We Care (During H-1B Cap Season and Beyond)

By |March 19, 2014|

Natalie is always happy to help, especially during H-1B Cap Season

Natalie is always in a cheerful mood, especially during H-1B Cap Season

One of my favorite phrases to use on a daily basis as a Customer Support Specialist here at VISANOW is “I’m happy to help!”  Whether spoken to a customer or colleague, it is a simple yet powerful phrase that conveys care and receptiveness to another’s situation.  I definitely believe that VISANOW’s compassion and willingness to assist sets the stage for an excellent customer experience.

Here are just a few of the many reasons why we’re so happy to help:

  • Our clients are awesome people.  Whether they are individuals looking for a family-based visa, HR representatives getting a visa for their employees, or the employees that are getting a visa, our clients are a fantastic bunch. We love getting to know them.
  • We become better at helping with every unique situation in which we assist, which allows us to better serve more people and better solve future problems.
  • We know of the difficulties encountered throughout the immigration process and would want this kind of assistance if we were in our clients’ shoes.
  • We ultimately want to improve the legal services experience and know that this is one of the pillars that supports such an experience!

Big Help During H-1B Cap Season

When I think of this “happy to help” attitude, this year’s H-1B cap season comes to mind.  I have seen all of our departments band together to help in any way possible to reach a shared goal: to help as many clients as possible successfully file and obtain their H-1B visas (or find alternatives). Through the hustle and bustle, approaching deadlines, and uncertainty, we strive to be a source of support and knowledge for the people who make our jobs so rewarding.

I look forward to the success stories post-H-1B cap season and know that everyone here at VISANOW is not only happy but feels privileged to be able to help these individuals on the way to their new opportunities.

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Envoy Customer Support: We Don’t Standardize, We Personalize

By |March 12, 2014|

Stephanie and Molly on the phones with some of our Envoy clients.

When I call a company’s customer support and get canned and scripted responses, it frustrates me. Although I’m speaking to a person, it feels like I’m speaking to a machine. I feel as if I’m being treated like every other customer that calls instead of being treated like an individual.

It is irksome and it certainly does not make me feel valued.

This is exactly the opposite of what we strive to do in Customer Support at Envoy. If you call or email us, we listen to what you need or want, and then answer accordingly. We communicate with you in way that is not mechanic or rehearsed. We have no “standardized” way of talking to our clients, each conversation is unique, because every customer is unique.

We actually get to know our clients and they get to know us. We develop a relationship with them, which is beneficial as it allows us to better meet our clients’ needs.

Personal Customer Support

Often clients will call in with a question and when I answer the phone, they might say something like, “Hi Stephanie, this is Fred,” and then launch into their reason for calling without offering further identification, because we know them and they know us.

This always makes me smile, as I think this a testament to what we do in our department. I believe that, although we have many clients, we make each one feel as if they are the only one. The way we communicate with them makes them feel important and appreciated, which they truly are.

It is wonderful to get the opportunity to support our diverse and fascinating clients through their immigration journey!

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APRIL 2014 VISA BULLETIN RELEASED

By |March 10, 2014|

The Bureau of Consular Affairs has released the Visa Bulletin for April 2014.

Family Visas

Visa Bulletin April 2014

Work Visas

Visa Bulletin April 2014

Family-Sponsored Visas

Family visas or green card petitions are segmented into different priority levels. Applicants with U.S. citizen family petitioners will have priority over those with family members who only have green cards.

The different types of family-sponsored visa categories are roughly as follows:

  • F1: The unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
  • F2: The spouses and children of Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs or green card holders).
  • F2A: Spouses and Children of LPRs.
  • F2B: Unmarried Adult Children of LPRs.
  • F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
  • F4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.

Employment-Based Visas

The U.S. has five major types of employment-based green cards:

  • EB-1: Priority workers with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors or researchers, and executives or mangers who have transferred to the U.S.
  • EB-2: Individuals with advance degrees, exceptional abilities, or holding a national interest waivers.
  • EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and others who don’t qualify for EB-1 or EB-2.
  • EB-4: Religious workers, broadcasters, Iraq/Afghan translators, Iraqis who have assisted the United States, physicians, Armed forces members, Panama Canal Zone employees, Retired NATO-6 employees, spouses and children of deceased NATO-6 employees.
  • EB-5: Investors who are investing in a new commercial enterprise.

Wait Times

Categories for each visa are supposed to go forward in time from month to month (called “advancement”), reflecting that more recently submitted applications are being processed as time goes on. However, this is not always the case when USCIS is overloaded with an unexpected number of applicants.

Retrogression most often occurs right after a visa category moves forward significantly, inciting a large wave of new applicants looking to take advantage of faster processing times. Retrogression is a way for USCIS to “put on the brakes” for new applications, so to speak. Priority dates for work-based green cards in India recently advanced several years, and there were so many new applicants as a result that the category was almost immediately penalized with retrogression. Normally, visa categories with the most applicants have the slowest advancement and are the most vulnerable to retrogression.

Employment-based immigrant visa petitions will commonly take less time than family-based visas for a number of reasons. There are far fewer employment-based applications due to low government caps, and the work-based visa application process requires the applicant and his or her United States employer to provide an immense and exceptionally detailed amount of information before proceeding.

The visa bulletin publishes “priority dates for visa categories monthly, which let applicants know how far along they are on the wait list. A priority date is like the “now serving sign at a deli counter or a fast food restaurant: the priority date listed is the application date of the people USCIS is currently serving. Having a “current visa category means you don’t even have to take a number.

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Obama Issues Ukrainian Visa Ban

By |March 6, 2014|

Photo by Ivan Bandura

Photo by Ivan Bandura

On Thursday, President Obama issued an executive order banning visas for specific Ukrainian individuals.

According to the executive order the ban applies to individuals, “that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.”

This Ukrainian visa ban extends beyond the one the U.S. State Department issued for over 20  Ukrainian officials after a series of violent confrontations with protesters.

The visa ban was just one action designed to put pressure on Russia to end their current conflict with Ukraine. The order also paves the way for additional economic sanctions to be applied to individuals identified as threatening to the territorial integrity and democratic process of Ukraine.

 

 

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Top Three Tips for H-1B Cap Season

By |February 26, 2014|

h-1b

It’s H-1B Cap Season again!

United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting applications for this popular employment-based visa starting April 1st.  The demand for H-1B visas continues to increase, and we expect the numerical cap of 65,000 new visas (plus 20,000 for advanced degree holders) to be met very quickly this year.  (Last year the cap was met on April 5th!)

Here are our top three tips to make sure your company is prepared.

1. Start Early

The most important piece of advice we can give you is to start early. Allowing adequate time to prepare an H-1B petition gives the best possible chance for approval and avoids last-minute stress.  If you haven’t begun the process of preparing an H-1B petition for April 1st, we strongly suggest you start now.

Each H-1B petition needs a certified Labor Condition Application (LCA).  LCA certification is an online process with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and can take up to 7 days.  (Potentially longer if the DOL is backed up.)  In addition, if an employee’s degree is from a school outside of the U.S., a professional Education Evaluation may be needed in order to prove degree equivalency.  Any non-English document should be translated into English.  It sometimes takes foreign nationals longer than expected to gather the documentation needed to apply for an H-1B.

If H-1B petitions are prepared early, it leaves plenty of time to obtain needed documents.

2. Evaluate Your Company’s H-1B needs

Many employees who get new H-1B visas are recent graduates working under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program on EAD cards.   It’s important to know when your employees’ EAD cards expire and when their OPT will end.  Since H-1B petitions accepted in April are only valid on or after October 1st of that year, advance planning is required.

In addition, there may be other H-1B candidates to consider—new employees recruited from abroad, existing employees currently holding other visa types, even current students on F-1 visas who will be graduating soon.  For information about H-1B visa eligibility for a particular employee or job candidate, contact your immigration services provider.

3. Know Your Alternatives

If some of your company’s H-1B petitions are not selected by USCIS under this year’s cap, you should know your alternatives.  There may be another visa type that the employee is eligible for or another way they can work for you.

If the employee is Canadian, a TN visa may be possible.  An Australian could obtain an E-3 visa.  A dependent of another visa holder might be able to get an EAD card.  Consult your immigration services provider for an evaluation of each individual situation.

VISANOW’s web application makes the H-1B preparation process much easier and faster than working with a traditional attorney.  That being said, our most-successful clients begin their H-1B preparation early.  If your company needs any kind of visa or immigration assistance or is interested in trying out VISANOW for a case, please contact us at 1-855-VISANOW.  We would be happy to help!

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VISANOW Visa Tutorial: H-1B Cap Season

By |February 24, 2014|

As many HR managers know the H-1B cap season is quickly approaching.

The cap season begins on April 1, 2014 and will run until the cap is reached. The time that it takes to reach the cap can range from anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. The cap for fiscal year 2014 was reached by April 5, 2013.

Each year, a total of 65,000 H-1B visas are allowed be issued for individuals with an U.S. Bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent. An additional 20,000 are allowed for individuals with advanced U.S. degrees. Last year, the USCIS received 124,000 applications during the filing season.

Given this information we want to make sure that we provide as much insight as possible into this visa.

In addition to an overview of the H-1B visa we have produced a series of frequently asked questions that we often hear from our clients.

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Three Warning Signs of An Immigration Scam

By |February 21, 2014|

The immigration process is about uniting families and loved ones while offering life-changing opportunities to students and professionals. Unfortunately, there are some that try to take advantage of that process by using an immigration scam designed to prey upon your opportunities and relationships.

While there are a variety of scams they often rely on similar tactics. Before applying for a visa be on the look out for these three warnings signs of a scam.

Requesting Money

Don't get caught by immigration scams that request money

Don’t get caught by immigration scams that request money. Image credit: Barb Leung via Flickr

While making a request for money from a U.S. citizen is a common tactic used by online scammers, it is not a definitive sign of an online scam. If a request is made for money it is important to ask the reason why funds are needed to determine the validity of the request.

The most common reasons Internet scammers will claim they need money include:

  • To pay additional visa government fees
  • To purchase plane tickets prior to filing the visa
  • They need to have a specific amount of money in the bank or cash on hand before applying for the visa
  • To pay extremely high passport fees
  • A sudden and frequent life-changing accident occurs and they need your help covering the cost

One of the most typical scenarios is that your online companion will suddenly experience a traumatic, life-changing event that requires the help of your money. It is important to be suspicious of such requests. If your online friend or one of their family members becomes suddenly ill, has an accident, experiences a death in the family, or has a sick child that needs help, take note of those situations as warning signs.

Be sure to educate yourself about the filing fees requested by the U.S. consulate. For instance if your companion is traveling to the U.S. for vacation, they will be using a B-2 visa. Currently, the standard filing fee for a U.S. B-2 visitor visa is $160 and regardless of the country of origin.    

Fraudulent Passports and Visa Documents

visa

Example of a U.S. visa. Image credit: Shujenchang

Some scammers may claim they already have a visa to the United States. They may be even willing to show you a copy of their passport and visa to assure you of their legitimacy. It is important that you know how to identify authentic visas and passports.

Warning signs of fraudulent visas or passports include:

  • Inconsistencies in physical appearance between passport and visa photos
  • The picture is provocative or revealing in nature
  • Obvious evidence of digital alteration, enhancement, or Photoshop editing
  • Any pictures not formatted as a 2×2 headshot

The U.S. government approved format for a passport or visa photo is a 2×2 headshot photo. If the photo shows anything below the shoulders it may not be a legitimate passport or visa. To best understand the government requirements for passport and visa photos, please review the U.S. Department of State site.

Suspicious Immigration Services Located Overseas

Individual scammers are not the only ones taking advantage of the immigration process. There are fraudulent and illegitimate businesses that scam foreign nationals and U.S. citizens in search of immigration help.

For instance, there have been reports of a rash of scams directed at technology workers from India. These fraudulent companies promise to help individuals obtain a H-1B visa to work in the U.S., but after taking their money never deliver on their promise of a visa.

Warning signs of suspicious immigration services include:

  • Charging fees for application forms
  • A guaranteed approval of a B-2 visitor visa
  • Unrealistic expedited processing times

Oftentimes immigration scammers will attempt to sell government forms that are free to obtain through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

These scammers typically guarantee approvals for B-2 visitor visas. No one is able to guarantee the approval of a visitor visa and any claim to the contrary is a sign of an immigration scam. Anyone who promises otherwise is intentionally misleading you. United States immigration attorneys cannot guarantee approvals for visitor visas, but working with one will significantly increase your chances of approval.

Avoid An Immigration Scam

The immigration and visa process is a complicated matter that requires time, patience, and thorough inspection. Scammers often promise fast outcomes and expedited processing times, which provide people with unrealistic expectations for the process.

If you believe yourself to be the victim of a scam, you can report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

While the internet has opened up unprecedented possibilities for connecting with people from all over the world, it has also left those seeking companionship abroad increasingly vulnerable. Sadly, there are those who try to con U.S. citizens looking for love out of the country.

The best way to avoid being victim of an immigration scam is to stay educated on the immigration process, take note of the warning signs, and get help from a reputable immigration attorney.

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The Compass: The Five Principles That Guide Our Software Architecture

By |February 19, 2014|

VISANOW's software development

The VISANOW web application is designed to work on both mobile devices and desktops.

At VISANOW, we’ve settled on five key principles to guide our core software development decisions. These quality aspects are used to evaluate our software designs. Individual applications are built for specific user needs, of course; these fundamental principles help guide us through the high-level architectural decisions that affect our entire software infrastructure.

PRINCIPLES FOR SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE QUALITY

1. Security

VISANOW handles immigration case work, so our software applications collect and store sensitive data from our clients. All of our software systems are designed to ensure that personal and proprietary data is completely secure against unauthorized access.

2. Reliability

Our software architecture decisions favor stability and maintainability. We strive to build systems which require minimal downtime and very few workarounds. Typically, enhancements can be deployed with minimal risk.

3. Performance

Software systems should support excellent performance in various environments. Designs are scalable in order to allow capacity improvements through hardware updates rather than software changes.

4. Flexibility

VISANOW’s business processes must adapt and evolve based on a variety of global immigration policies, which can change quickly. Our software is built with extensibility in mind: current and future software developers should be able to understand and improve the software as the business needs change.

5. Longevity

Good software is one of the keys to VISANOW’s success. Architectural decisions reflect long-term thinking by favoring designs which are resilient and future-oriented.

Our Principles Support Our Long-term Goals

Software development is a complicated process, and these quality aspects can be somewhat subjective. Even so, identifying our core principles gives us a common language for discussing our architecture, and ensures that we stay focused on our long-term goal to improve the legal services experience for our clients.

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Going from an H-1B to Green Card : VISANOW Visa Tutorial Video

By |February 17, 2014|

With the H-1B cap season quickly approaching HR Managers might be looking at Green Card options for their foreign national employees.

In this visa tutorial, we give an overview on how to go from an H-1B to Green Card.

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Gathering Customer Feedback: How and Why We Do It

By |February 14, 2014|

Customer Support: Gathering Customer Feedback

The VISANOW Customer Support Team

Regardless of department, everybody at VISANOW is an enthusiastic advocate for our customers and we consider ourselves lucky to be able to connect with and help such a diverse group of great people.

That being said, in Customer Support we have the unique opportunity to interact with many of our customers over the phone and by email on a daily basis.  With all of this interaction going on, we always want to make sure that all of our customers’ responses and feedback are taken into consideration!

Collecting customer feedback is an important part of ensuring a great user experience and helping us grow as a legal services provider. Since VISANOW strives to provide the best legal services possible, both positive and constructive feedback carry great weight with us.  VISANOW uses a few different methods to gather this feedback:

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

We send all of our customers surveys that they have the option to fill out.  The survey includes several questions ranging from the customer’s favorite aspect of VISANOW to suggestions on how we could improve our services.  These responses are compiled and shared anonymously to give everyone here at VISANOW a look into what our customers have experienced after they use our services.

Email and Phone

Whenever Customer Supports receives feedback via phone or email, we immediately log it in our system.

Correspondence in a Customer’s Online Account

Sometimes a customer shares feedback via their online account.  When this happens, Customer Support takes similar action and proactively logs it in our system.

Putting The Customer Feedback Into Practice

Examining the positive feedback from our customers helps us to continue doing what people love, helps us determine and play to our strengths, and gives us a chance to see just how much of a difference we can make.

When we analyze constructive feedback, we’re able to see exactly how we can improve the customer experience at VISANOW and use it to develop new strategies to ensure customer happiness.

We’d love to see if we can serve you as a customer here at VISANOW if you aren’t a customer of ours already and look forward to any and all feedback you have to offer!

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VISANOW is now Envoy.

As part of our mission to create opportunities for organizations and global talent, we’ve updated our brand and how we communicate our message. In a time when thinking globally is how organizations grow and progress, we help businesses build world-ready workforces.

Envoy’s workforce management platform features premiere tools for navigating the immigration process for all your sponsored employees; knowledgeable Envoy-affiliated attorney and customer support; and resources to help you learn how to become an expert in the global immigration process.

You will be redirected shortly. Go to EnvoyGlobal.com to see the new changes.