Please note that the Government shutdown due to the
budget impasse does not affect Citizenship and Immigration Service. Citizenship and Immigration Service operates
with the filing fees of petitions, and does not rely on any Government
funding. Just like the Postal service,
the Citizenship and Immigration Service will run as usual, with the same number
of staff. This means that your business
and family immigration case will not be affected. It will not take longer to process due to
Governmental shutdown.
All individuals should go for their interviews and
fingerprinting as usual.
The icert (labor condition application, filing
before H-1B) and PERM- Labor Certification systems operated by Department of
Labor is also running. The Department of
Labor has said its “expected” to operate. However
in the event that the impasse continues for a long time, and their funds run
out we will not be able to operate their web sites. Right now there is no indication of a Department
of Labor (Foreign office processing) will shut down. However if the shutdown is prolonged, we will
not be able to file new labor condition applications or PERM- Labor Certifications
or audit answers. Right now, we have to
operate as usual.
Department of State will
try to stay open as much as possible, but again, might close if the shutdown is
prolonged. Right now there is no report
of any consulates being closed.
The Customs and Border patrol will also operate as
usual. So will Transportation Security
Agents at ports of entries.
In the Immigration arena, the only type of cases
already affected is deportation cases.
The courts will only hear detainee cases. Other cases are being temporarily
stopped.
For more detailed information, please go to:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/contingency-plans
Contact Houston
Immigration Lawyer, or Houston Immigration Attorney Annie Banerjee,
for more information.
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