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Small loans, big changes

Learn how a small loan can make a big difference in the life of people living in poverty.

Tags: Changes, Loans, Small

Private Money Loans are Really Making Great Changes in Realtors Lives

Life gives us all so many chances to explore and experience different things in life. One can look around and find so many opportunities around. You have to look for professions that are best suitable for you, and I think Real Estate Investment is one such domain where you can prosper in a very short period of time. There is another great thing with it that you can keep property business as your first priority and even as a full time profession. Here are different offerings of Private Money Loans for your own success, and your lenders are always in there for your financial and moral support.

Private Money Loans have changed the real market scenario of property investment business. The credit goes to all private money lenders who are ready to contribute their own private money in your or any other person’s business. You can look around and feel all the pleasure of having your own business and ultimately the profit. People used to have lots of difficulties while dealing with banks or other conventional lenders, as they are were and still asked to submit all documents in support of their stable source of income, and as a proof that they are able to pay monthly installments. Most of people are not eligible for such demands and therefore they are left to be frustrated and depressed for their incomes and expenses.

It sounds really very difficult for a person who is jobless or just got a big setback in his business. These banks are not for those kinds of persons and they simply decline the residential loan application after keeping them in queues for long. All such persons need to consult their nearby Private Money Lenders for financial support and guidance to start Real Estate Investment Business. Here they will get Private Money Loans as a mean of starting their independent business. Things have changed to a very different level and people are very much aware of the opportunities in property purchase and sale, and they greatly trust these private money lenders.

Once you have come across these Private Money lenders and you know that they are doing great job by giving out their own money for investment. So, they are actually facing a major risk and the consequences if anything goes towards failure. You need to look for a good property in your neighborhood and then apply for Private Money Loans. You know! It’s their only demand and they can invest their money on any marketable property. You will be the actual owner of the property and they won’t ask you to share the ownership title. They would wait for your renovation over the property and the reselling time, when they are going to get their actual money along with the interest over it.  Isn’t a cool offer and the whole process is so transparent that you have no reason to doubt at anytime. Make a good deal and earn profit as well as a fixed position in a comparatively stable business.

Find More Private Personal Loan Articles

Tags: Changes, Great, Lives, Loans, Making, Money, Private, Really, Realtors

Special education changes are on the way

Special education changes are on the way
As schools statewide struggle to afford special education now that federal grants that have been available for the past couple years have dried up, special education students from West Roxbury and Roslindale can look forward to changes next year which will allow them to go to school closer to home.
Read more on West Roxbury Transcript

Ridgewood Education Foundation grants focus on the arts
Reading and writing are emphasized.
Read more on The Record

million for arts education threatened in federal budget fight
Federal funding totaling $ 40 million for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ educational programs, arts education grants for the disabled and grants to train arts teachers are just some of the arts-related programs on the chopping block as Congress…
Read more on Los Angeles Times

Tags: Changes, Education, Special

Commercial Lender Changes Hurt Small Business Financing Options

Commercial Lender Changes Hurt Small Business Financing Options

 If you reckon on a bad credit chronicle you may be considering you options seeing foremost credit central.Visit Here now http://inc-financeandinformation.blogspot.com

 It may want to buy a vehicle, or a home, but aren’t sure whether you can get the capital requred for the purchase.

Bad credit finance isn’t something you should bountiful radically exceedingly accommodate over, being there are over a few financing options available regardless of how bad your credit saga is although some lenders may charge a considerable interest degree or want you to assure some additional security, but in the end may be just what you’re looking for.Automobile Financing

If trying to finance the purchase of a new or used vehicle, your nonpareil possibility would be a finance company rather than your local bank.There are some otherfactors for lenders to consider when benefaction finance on a vehicle. Factors like type of car or truck, where it is seeing bought from, and what type of insurance you have.Other factors that will be taken into consideration secure your magazine and monthly income, any cosigners that you might have thanks to the loan, and part recommendations or referrals that you proficiency have.Finance for Buying a Property

It may not speak for quite as straight forward to get bad certainty financing for a property deal.Major factors in recipient a mortgage lender to approve you for bad credit finance options hold your income, any insurance that you will purchase seeing the abode or real estate, the amount of a down payment that you’re willing to offer, and any references of obsolete landlords that you can offer.You can find many mortage lenders that offer bad credit loans on the internet, or you can one’s all to a high street estate agent, or property company.Other financing

Financing contradistinctive items like collectibles of electrical equipment might imitate more difficult.Smaller and less healthful items are much harder to recover and gem buyers now than vehicles and real estate, so myriad capital companies are hesitant to lend money to people with bad acceptance in order to occupancy these items. Instead of financing, you might want to hold other venues for bad credit loans (related as auto title loans besides the like) to get you the money that you aspiration for your purchases.Now, substantial is possible to gem companies that capacity ration on these items, but if you fulfill unattended pursuit asking for a advising being other bad credit important companies.Visit Here now http://inc-financeandinformation.blogspot.com

Search business financing options, business cash advance, global venture capital at merchantcashadvance.com
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Tags: Business, Changes, Commercial, Financing, Hurt, Lender, Options, Small

Business Financing Options Hurt by Commercial Lending Changes

Recent commercial lender changes are likely to impact most small business owners. If a commercial borrower wants to continue their present banking relationship, they will find (in most cases) that the business lending changes are permanent and cannot be avoided. A few new and more flexible commercial lending sources represent a welcome exception to this trend.

One of the biggest commercial lending changes involves new guidelines for working capital financing. Most banks appear to be quietly eliminating business lines of credit or severely reducing the amount they are willing to finance to a level which is not helpful to an average business. Very few businesses can survive without a reliable source of working capital, so this change promises to receive the highest priority from most small businesses. To replace the disappearing commercial lines of credit, the most practical options for business borrowers include working capital loans and merchant financing from one of the alternative commercial finance sources still active in small business financing programs.

The difficulty of locating investment property financing illustrates another business lender change. If the commercial property is considered to be owner-occupied (the owner occupies a substantial portion of the building), more banks will be interested in making commercial real estate loans. Investors that do not occupy the property often own business properties like shopping centers and apartments. For many banks, it appears that they are currently restricting their commercial lending activities to those which qualify for SBA loans (Small Business Administration) which generally exclude investor-owned situations.

A third significant business lending change is demonstrated by revised guidelines for refinancing commercial real estate loans. In almost all cases, commercial lenders have dramatically reduced the loan-to-value percentages that they will lend. In some areas and for specific types of businesses, many banks will no longer lend over half of the appraised value. While this causes difficulties when attempting to buy a business, the problems for a commercial borrower reach a crisis magnitude when refinancing an existing commercial loan. In many cases the original business loan was based on a much higher percentage of business value than the bank is currently willing to provide. The lending problem is further compounded when a current appraisal reveals a decrease in value since the original loan was made. Due to a distressed economy which frequently results in decreased business income that then leads to lower commercial property values, such an outcome is especially common.

In a fourth example of commercial lending changes, for virtually all small business finance programs many small business owners have already discovered an inflated fee structure from most banks. Perhaps the bank perspective for some of the commercial financing fee increases is that they need to find a revenue source to replace the diminishing income from small business loans which has resulted from bank decisions to decrease commercial loan activity. When they encounter suddenly increased business financing fees levied by their current bank, business borrowers should seek different commercial funding sources except in unavoidable and unusual circumstances.

A final example of commercial lender changes is depicted by banks changing their overall guidelines for small business financing. Many banks have effectively stopped making any new commercial loans to small businesses regardless of business income or creditworthiness. Unfortunately these banks are not announcing publicly that they have discontinued small business finance activities. This means that while they might accept business loan applications, they do not intend to actually finalize commercial financing in most cases. Whenever it becomes obvious that the bank has no real intentions of making a requested working capital loan or commercial mortgage, this approach has clearly frustrated and enraged business borrowers.

The five commercial lending changes described above are unfortunately the proverbial tip of the iceberg. As they approach business lenders to obtain commercial real estate financing, working capital loans and small business financing, business owners will need to be especially skeptical and diligent.

Related Commercial Lending Articles

Tags: Business, Changes, Commercial, Financing, Hurt, Lending, Options

Lacy Lakeview changes how it spends tourism money

Lacy Lakeview changes how it spends tourism money
The city of Lacy Lakeview has decided to make a dramatic shift in how it spends money from a tax fund designed to boost tourism after officials realized many past expenditures did not comply with state law.
Read more on Waco Tribune-Herald

Arizona bill increases amount of tax-credit money for private schools
Bill would increase amount of tax credit money going to Arizona private school scholarships.
Read more on The Arizona Republic

Award-winning cookbook raises money for Ropesville scholarships
Through its award-winning fundraiser cookbook, a Ropesville organization has discovered a way to provide scholarships…
Read more on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Tags: Changes, Lacy, Lakeview, Money, spends, Tourism

Business of Sport: Vodafone Rings Changes Without Sentiment in Quest for Global Power

At first glance Vodafone look like modern-day sporting philanthropists. Millions of pounds have flowed from the coffers of the mobile communications giant into English cricket, horse racing and leading football and formula one teams. And every time the company announces another major sponsorship deal, it whets the appetite of other sports rights holders and clubs around the world.

“We get lots of requests,” says Peter Bamford, Vodafone’s chief marketing officer. “When we make an announcement it prompts a flood of various kinds of requests and proposals. We consider all of them within reason and we evaluate them quite systematically.”

There is not, however, much room for sentiment. Bamford, who has been on Vodafone’s board for nearly eight years and previously held senior positions at Kingfisher, Tesco and WH Smith, says: “It is absolutely a hard-headed calculation. If it is good for Vodafone and good for the sport and good for customers and shareholders, then this is what we are trying to do.”

Bamford, the man in charge of the full range of Vodafone’s marketing and commercial activities, has spent the past six months making quite a few hard-headed calculations about its sports portfolio. First he renewed sponsorship of the England cricket team for a further four years. Then he jettisoned its £9m-a-year shirt sponsorship contract with Manchester United with two years still to run, while announcing a three-year deal to become an official partner of the Champions League. The year came to an end with another dramatic announcement – that Vodafone would be leaving Ferrari to become McLaren’s title sponsor at the start of the 2007 formula one season.

“The things we announced were unconnected,” Bamford insists. “We go through regular evaluations of what we spend on sponsorship, based on the return of media investment, the value of the exposure we receive and the fit with our target segments.” The strategy is straightforward: “It is about building awareness of the Vodafone brand, it is about building preference to the brand and it is about building revenue.”

Bamford says there was a neat symmetry to Vodafone’s links to the Old Trafford club. “When we started with Manchester United Vodafone was still largely a UK-based business with a growing set of international interests. Manchester United fitted very well at that point as a very big sporting brand, a UK-based team with quite a good international fan base. It fitted us at that point of time.” But he said sponsorship of the Champions League offered full European exposure and a wider global marketing platform. “It is part of the evolution from a UK-based business to a multi-national one.”

Although Vodafone may keep a smaller-scale link with Manchester United, the ending of the shirt sponsorship contract was a blow to a club already troubled by the turmoil caused by Malcolm Glazer’s controversial takeover. Bamford denies fans’ protests were a factor: “We understood the concerns of some groups of fans about it but our decision was based on the opportunity for us to move on to something more European and global.”

The Champions League, with its exposure in 227 countries and four billion viewers a season, certainly represents a bigger platform for Vodafone’s ambitions. Sponsorship experts are increasingly questioning the value of simpler forms of branding, such as 24 square inches of logo on Wayne Rooney’s chest, but Bamford insists: “It’s definitely always been about more than that. The really important thing is how you activate the sponsorship. It is the degree to which sponsorship is used in advertising, promotional activities, competitions, internal opportunities for staff and hospitality is an important part of the mix.”

Content rights are becoming of increasing importance in Vodafone’s big sports contracts, with the ability of a new generation of 3G phones to deliver live action, highlights and information surrounding big sports events. Although exposure is a key driver of sponsorship value, Vodafone was happy to renew its association with the England cricket team last July, even before the Ashes triumph, despite the disappearance of domestic Test cricket from free-to-air television this summer. One factor was the inclusion of the 3G cricket rights, allowing Vodafone Live! customers to watch clips of key action throughout the day.

“We are including content rights in as many deals as we can,” Bamford says. “We are a huge believer in what 3G can do for our customers – sport is one of the key things that people are interested in and they use their phones to access that information.”

The ability to provide exclusive behind-the-scenes 3G coverage will also be an attractive feature of Vodafone’s deal with McLaren for a reputed £35m a year for 10 years. Vodafone’s existing deal with Ferrari, which was due to expire at the end of 2006, was not renewed because they could not “establish a commercially good route”, partly because of the existence of Philip Morris as principal sponsors. A Ferrari racing car is on display in the foyer of Vodafone’s futuristic headquarters in Newbury, home to some 3,500 employees and the beating business pulse of the Berkshire town. Bamford says the arrangement had worked well until now, but the business logic for a switch was clear.

McLaren had offered title sponsorship – from 2007 the team will be known as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – for slightly less money. “In our judgment they are likely to be successful over the next five years, giving us exposure for our brand that fits well with the next stage of Vodafone’s evolution.”

Bamford says there are unlikely to be many additions to the portfolio, although the London 2012 Olympics may be an exception. The organizing committee has begun the search for some 90 sponsors, including 10 top-tier companies, paying more than £50m. Bamford will only say: “It is a one-off event over a four-week period at a fixed point of time, so it is of a different nature from other events. It is the UK, London, our home market – we will look at it closely.”

Vodafone is preparing to branch out with new 3G developments in the music and entertainment field. Bamford says: “Our judgment is that we are covering as much sport as we need to. We are covering the key geographies and key customer segments.” Other sports and events that approach Vodafone with propositions or the begging bowl may be disappointed.

The portfolio

Uefa Champions League (2006-09)

Vodafone, as an official partner, will use the deal to offer football content including goal alerts and full-time video highlights on 3G phones.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (2007-)

Title sponsor with branding on cars, drivers and pit crews. Merchandising and hospitality rights and behind-the-scenes access for 3G phones.

England cricket team (2005-2009)

Deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board gets branding on players’ kit, access to players and exclusive live content for 3G phones.

The Derby (1995-)

Vodafone has ensured a prize fund of £2.7m for 14 races during the two-day fixture. It streams live coverage of the Derby to mobile handsets.

Tags: Business, Changes, Global, Power, Quest, Rings, Sentiment, sport, Vodafone, without

2007 Immigration Changes & Actions

Fitzgerald & Company would also like to take this opportunity to inform you of some changes and developments that occurred last year in immigration, and remind you of what actions you may be eligible to take currently in your path towards American citizenship. Please feel free to forward a link to this newsletter to anyone you know who may find immigration information useful.

The Importance of Contacting your Representatives and Senators

There have been several important events or developments in 2007 that are worthy of comment and should be of interest to anyone who is or who may be affected by immigration laws. In 2007 we had a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill (proposal) rejected by the Senate, new restrictive Labor Certification regulations enacted, and the US presidential candidates have all stated that immigration policies are an important issue which may result in some imminent changes. Political figures are extremely responsive to public opinion, and for this reason, it is important that we let the representatives, senators and all political candidates and office-holders in our regions know that we need positive changes to ease the difficulties that so many immigrants face in the United States today.

The names and telephone numbers of the U.S. Senators can be found at the following internet address: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and the names of the congressman in your area are listed at this address: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Proposed Immigration Reform Law

On June 18, 2007 Senators Kennedy and McCain filed a bill in the US Senate that would have provided some relief to so many of the immigrants living in the US and to many of their family members abroad. The bill was rejected on June 28, 2007 by a vote of 46 (in favor / YES) to 53 (against / NO). Of the 46 senators that supported the bill 13 were Republicans and 33 were Democrats, and of the 53 senators that rejected the law 15 were Democrats and 38 were Republicans. The law would have included among its provisions the following:

A nonimmigrant Z-visa category for illegal aliens (and their families) who have been continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2007, and are: (1) employed and seek to continue working or (2) studying
Increased per-country-limits for family-based and employment-based immigrants and increased family-sponsored immigrant visas until backlogs are adjudicated
A merit-based immigrant evaluation system
Made the Conrad J-1 visa (foreign physicians in medically underserved areas) waiver program permanent
Revised student visa provisions respecting: (1) off campus work; (2) distance learning; (3) dual intent; and (4) graduate students in mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, or information technology, and
Revised H-1B visa (specialty occupation) provisions, including: (1) annual admissions cap increases; (2) employer requirements; (3) degree requirements; (4) merit-based extension of stay; and (5) government requirements.
In addition to these positive sections there were some provisions of the proposal that would have been negative, such as restrictions on obtaining “green cards” in the US and new limitations on L1A visas for new companies; however, there would likely have been an over all positive result.

LCA / PERM Restrictions

On May 17, 2007, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued new regulations on the permanent labor certification program which included a “Prohibition on Substitution”, meaning that an LCA cannot be transferred from one potential employee to another. The DOL further stipulated a “Time Limitation” on an LCA’s validity (See 20 CFR part 656; 72 Fed. Reg. 29704 (May 17, 2007), requiring that once approved, an LCA must be “used” or filed in support of an I-140 (immigrant visa petition) within 180 days.

Adjustment after EWI (Entry Without Inspection) or Overstay

Title 8CFR 245.10 allows the spouse or child (including step children) of an individual who directly qualifies under the section 245(i) law to receive their green card in the U.S., even if they entered after Dec. 21, 2000 and the “relationship” was established after April 30, 2001. This is an important provision that merits a review to determine whether you may be eligible for a green card based upon your existing relationship with a family member who is a direct/primary beneficiary of 245(i). You may be 245 (i) eligible and not know it.

If you were ever included in an immigration application filed by April 30, 2001, and the application was abandoned or uncompleted for any reason (i.e. employment change, divorce, death of petitioner, etc.), you may still be 245(i) eligible, and as a result be eligible to start another immigration application. Please call our office for a consultation if you think this benefit may apply to you.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

As so many aspects of immigration are continuing to become more difficult and immigration application fees are dramatically increasing, we encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to file immigration and citizenship petitions promptly. We have prepared a chart to assist you in identifying the earliest filing elegibility date for a personal benefit and for a benefit on behalf of another person in your family. For example, if you are under a non-immigrant visa status you may be eligible to apply for a green card/residency. There are advantages of becoming a legal permanent resident, such as legally living, studying and working in the United States, being able to petition for residency for your spouse and unmarried children under 21, and being able to travel in and out of the U.S. Similarly, if you have been a legal permanent resident for 5 years (3 years in the case of a residency by marriage), you may be able to apply for citizenship. Being a citizen will grant you additional benefits, such as voting in government elections, being able to sponsor all immediate relatives for residency, obtaining a U.S. passport to travel, and remaining outside the U.S. without restrictions. Finally, if you are a citizen you may want to apply for a green card/residency for eligible family members.

If you are eligible to apply for any immigration benefits, such as the ones listed on our chart, we advise you to do so as soon as possible in order to obtain or provide your family quicker access to the benefits of residency and citizenship. To find out more about these application processes and the types of documents that you need for filing these applications, please consult our website at: http://www.fitzgeraldlawcompany.com. We also have a very comprehensive frequently asked questions area which you may find very helpful. In our experience processing time for most immigration applications have lengthened overtime, and since it is hard to predict what future changes will happen in the law, we urge you to take immediate action with regard to filing them.

You May Sue the USCIS in Certain Situations

In the past year more individuals have filed actions in the US District Court to seek a resolution for a decision to a long delayed immigration petition or to have a poor or improper decision by the USCIS reviewed. This has been an effective vehicle to have a case promptly and correctly decided, and our office has been a leader in the development of innovative strategies doing this with much success. Recent congressional proposals have sought to eliminate this possibility, but they have been unsuccessful to date. What can you do?

Challenge USCIS processing delays in the US District Court, by bringing legal actions against them
Apply for immigration benefits for you and your family members as soon as the eligibility requirements are met
Call and write to political representatives and candidates, and
Encourage others in your community and family to do the same.
If you have any questions about how any of the items discussed here may impact you or your family, please do not hesitate to call our office and we will be glad to assist you. We request that you inform us of any changes in your contact information (address, email or telephone numbers – it is a duty to report these to immigration if you are not a U.S. citizen), or any changes to your individual situation (i.e. changes in marital status, employment, the birth of children, etc.), as it may provide for different immigration opportunities.

Tags: 2007, Actions, Changes, Immigration

GMAT – Exam prep, Recent changes, Scores

What is the GMAT ?

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a formalized test that judges the talent needed to prosper in graduate business educational programs. The GMAT test is a prerequisite for entrance into an MBA (Master of Business Administration) program.

This is only one part that business schools look at when reviewing a student’s eligibility into their school. The fee for this test is usually 250 American dollars and this is on a global scale. The GMAT exam has a five year shelf life beyond the actual date the exam is taken.

Exam preparation

GMAT preparation can be broken down into three areas. An analytical writing part, a quantitative part, and a verbal part.

• Analytical writing

The analytical writing part of the GMAT test contains two essays. Students must break down a summary of some piece of literary work for the first part and then for the second, the student must dissect some type of problem.

Students have 30 minutes to complete each essay and are given scores ranging from 0-6. Two graders each grade these essays and if both scores are within 1 point of each other, then the average of both is taken from them, but if not then a third grader will then grade each essay.

The first grader is a computer program that breaks down whether or not the writing is creative or has syntax errors. Both the second and third graders are humans who look at the essays as a whole and not for any errors specifically.

Misspelled words are not a big deal when it does not interfere with the graders ability to comprehend what is being stated. The score is based on a lot of criteria, but length does not play a role. More or less the graders are seeing if the paper is coherent and has a smooth rhythm to it.

• Quantitative section

In the quantitative section of the GMAT exam, students have 75 minutes to complete 37 multiple choice questions which are broken down into problem solving and data sufficiency type problems. This section can receive a score ranging anywhere from 0-60.

• Verbal section

The verbal section contains 41 multiple choice questions with a 75 minute time limit. This section can be broken down into three types of problems: critical reasoning, reading comprehension, and sentence correction. It can also have a score ranging from 0-60. Scores from the quantitative and verbal portions of the GMAT test are tallied up separately from the analytical writing assessment and can range anywhere from 200-800.

The verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT exam use a process known as tailored testing which means that test questions adjust to each individual student’s ability.

Usually the very first question can be challenging with the proceeding questions being somewhat more moderately difficult at the 500 level. Questions get harder when preceding questions are answered correctly and easier when they are not.

It is a good idea to try to answer all questions, because questions left blank are weighted more heavily against you than incorrectly answered questions. Developmental questions are also thrown in the mix. They do not affect the student’s overall score, but merely help test administrators decide whether or not these questions will fit well with future GMAT examinations.

Change in exam format

Some of the minor changes that the GMAT exam has undergone in recent history are the fact that paper and pencil have been replaced by a wet erase booklet accompanied with a unique wet erase pen. If a student needs a new pen or booklet during the GMAT test, he/she must raise his/her hand. Not only is this more environmentally friendly but also deters any type of dishonesty.

Scores : What is a good score ?

Although many schools don’t publicly announce what scores they are looking for, they do announce the average score obtained for the most recent period, allowing potential students to gauge where they stand. Most top business schools require a score in the high 600’s. Less respectable schools will have a median score of ~500. Low GMAT test scores can be offset, however, with above average undergraduate achievements, excellent references, well written essays, and extraordinary real world experiences.

History

The GMAT exam was created in 1953 by an association currently called the Graduate Management Admission Council. Originally they were organized by nine business schools in hopes of creating a test for business students that can be used across the board globally. The initial year of the test saw only 2,000 applicants; however, today more than 200,000 students take the test every year. Also during its inception only 54 business schools adopted the GMAT Exam, but today over 1,500 schools use it. 2005 marked the end of the Educational Testing Service’s involvement in the exam because on January 1, 2006, a changeover occurred involving a variety of different merchandisers.

Tags: Changes, Exam, GMAT, prep, Recent, Scores

2007 Immigration Changes & Actions

Fitzgerald & Company would also like to take this opportunity to inform you of some changes and developments that occurred last year in immigration, and remind you of what actions you may be eligible to take currently in your path towards American citizenship. Please feel free to forward a link to this newsletter to anyone you know who may find immigration information useful.

The Importance of Contacting your Representatives and Senators

There have been several important events or developments in 2007 that are worthy of comment and should be of interest to anyone who is or who may be affected by immigration laws. In 2007 we had a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill (proposal) rejected by the Senate, new restrictive Labor Certification regulations enacted, and the US presidential candidates have all stated that immigration policies are an important issue which may result in some imminent changes. Political figures are extremely responsive to public opinion, and for this reason, it is important that we let the representatives, senators and all political candidates and office-holders in our regions know that we need positive changes to ease the difficulties that so many immigrants face in the United States today.

The names and telephone numbers of the U.S. Senators can be found at the following internet address: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and the names of the congressman in your area are listed at this address: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Proposed Immigration Reform Law

On June 18, 2007 Senators Kennedy and McCain filed a bill in the US Senate that would have provided some relief to so many of the immigrants living in the US and to many of their family members abroad. The bill was rejected on June 28, 2007 by a vote of 46 (in favor / YES) to 53 (against / NO). Of the 46 senators that supported the bill 13 were Republicans and 33 were Democrats, and of the 53 senators that rejected the law 15 were Democrats and 38 were Republicans. The law would have included among its provisions the following:

A nonimmigrant Z-visa category for illegal aliens (and their families) who have been continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2007, and are: (1) employed and seek to continue working or (2) studying
Increased per-country-limits for family-based and employment-based immigrants and increased family-sponsored immigrant visas until backlogs are adjudicated
A merit-based immigrant evaluation system
Made the Conrad J-1 visa (foreign physicians in medically underserved areas) waiver program permanent
Revised student visa provisions respecting: (1) off campus work; (2) distance learning; (3) dual intent; and (4) graduate students in mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, or information technology, and
Revised H-1B visa (specialty occupation) provisions, including: (1) annual admissions cap increases; (2) employer requirements; (3) degree requirements; (4) merit-based extension of stay; and (5) government requirements.
In addition to these positive sections there were some provisions of the proposal that would have been negative, such as restrictions on obtaining “green cards” in the US and new limitations on L1A visas for new companies; however, there would likely have been an over all positive result.

LCA / PERM Restrictions

On May 17, 2007, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued new regulations on the permanent labor certification program which included a “Prohibition on Substitution”, meaning that an LCA cannot be transferred from one potential employee to another. The DOL further stipulated a “Time Limitation” on an LCA’s validity (See 20 CFR part 656; 72 Fed. Reg. 29704 (May 17, 2007), requiring that once approved, an LCA must be “used” or filed in support of an I-140 (immigrant visa petition) within 180 days.

Adjustment after EWI (Entry Without Inspection) or Overstay

Title 8CFR 245.10 allows the spouse or child (including step children) of an individual who directly qualifies under the section 245(i) law to receive their green card in the U.S., even if they entered after Dec. 21, 2000 and the “relationship” was established after April 30, 2001. This is an important provision that merits a review to determine whether you may be eligible for a green card based upon your existing relationship with a family member who is a direct/primary beneficiary of 245(i). You may be 245 (i) eligible and not know it.

If you were ever included in an immigration application filed by April 30, 2001, and the application was abandoned or uncompleted for any reason (i.e. employment change, divorce, death of petitioner, etc.), you may still be 245(i) eligible, and as a result be eligible to start another immigration application. Please call our office for a consultation if you think this benefit may apply to you.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

As so many aspects of immigration are continuing to become more difficult and immigration application fees are dramatically increasing, we encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to file immigration and citizenship petitions promptly. We have prepared a chart to assist you in identifying the earliest filing elegibility date for a personal benefit and for a benefit on behalf of another person in your family. For example, if you are under a non-immigrant visa status you may be eligible to apply for a green card/residency. There are advantages of becoming a legal permanent resident, such as legally living, studying and working in the United States, being able to petition for residency for your spouse and unmarried children under 21, and being able to travel in and out of the U.S. Similarly, if you have been a legal permanent resident for 5 years (3 years in the case of a residency by marriage), you may be able to apply for citizenship. Being a citizen will grant you additional benefits, such as voting in government elections, being able to sponsor all immediate relatives for residency, obtaining a U.S. passport to travel, and remaining outside the U.S. without restrictions. Finally, if you are a citizen you may want to apply for a green card/residency for eligible family members.

If you are eligible to apply for any immigration benefits, such as the ones listed on our chart, we advise you to do so as soon as possible in order to obtain or provide your family quicker access to the benefits of residency and citizenship. To find out more about these application processes and the types of documents that you need for filing these applications, please consult our website at: http://www.fitzgeraldlawcompany.com. We also have a very comprehensive frequently asked questions area which you may find very helpful. In our experience processing time for most immigration applications have lengthened overtime, and since it is hard to predict what future changes will happen in the law, we urge you to take immediate action with regard to filing them.

You May Sue the USCIS in Certain Situations

In the past year more individuals have filed actions in the US District Court to seek a resolution for a decision to a long delayed immigration petition or to have a poor or improper decision by the USCIS reviewed. This has been an effective vehicle to have a case promptly and correctly decided, and our office has been a leader in the development of innovative strategies doing this with much success. Recent congressional proposals have sought to eliminate this possibility, but they have been unsuccessful to date. What can you do?

Challenge USCIS processing delays in the US District Court, by bringing legal actions against them
Apply for immigration benefits for you and your family members as soon as the eligibility requirements are met
Call and write to political representatives and candidates, and
Encourage others in your community and family to do the same.
If you have any questions about how any of the items discussed here may impact you or your family, please do not hesitate to call our office and we will be glad to assist you. We request that you inform us of any changes in your contact information (address, email or telephone numbers – it is a duty to report these to immigration if you are not a U.S. citizen), or any changes to your individual situation (i.e. changes in marital status, employment, the birth of children, etc.), as it may provide for different immigration opportunities.

Tags: 2007, Actions, Changes, Immigration