07大潮

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07大潮,指的是 2007年6月12日,國務院公佈了 7月排期(107號排期表),其中 Employment Based 的所有類別均為 C, 即Current,不用排期。由此引發了一系列的事件。

背景

2007年5月,DHS出台新的收費標準,提高 I-485 費用,並且 EAD 和 AP 要單獨收費。新收費標準 7月30日起生效。

收費標準原文見聯邦公告 Adjustment of the Immigration and Naturalization Benefit Application and Petition Fee Schedule

原收費:I-485 $325 + $70 Biometric fee, I-765 $160,I-131 $170,合計:要 AP / EAD $725,不要 AP / EAD $395

新收費:I-485 $930 + $60 Biometric fee,但 I-765 和 I-131 免費了,合計:$990

注意這是2007年,當年的 I-485 批准平均只要三四個月,而且 AP / EAD 要獨立收費,所以並不是所有人都會申請 AP / EAD 的,可以等需要了再加。在2000年通過的AC21法案,之所以設定了「180天後可以換工作」,就是因為當時 I-485 的平均處理時間是3個月,而到了180天就屬於超長等待了,所以 AC21 加 上了換工作的福利。

對於大多數自費的申請人來說,由於可以不申請 EAD / AP,新規等於是申請費翻倍。出於好意,國務院決定將 EB 排期設定為 C,允許所有在排期中的人交表,以便享受較低的收費。

排期表的變更

在6月底即傳出謠言說要變更排期表。果然,7月2日,國務院突然發佈第108號排期表,內容如下:

UPDATE ON JULY VISA AVAILABILITY

The sudden backlog reduction efforts by Citizenship and Immigration Services Offices during the past month have resulted in the use of almost 60,000 Employment numbers. As a result of this unexpected action it has been necessary to make immediate adjustments to several previously announced cut-off dates.  All Citizenship and Immigration Services Offices have been notified of the following:

Effective Monday July 2, 2007 there will be no further authorizations in response to requests for Employment-based preference cases.  All numbers available to these categories under the FY-2007 annual numerical limitation have been made available.

Employment preference numbers will once again be available to these chargeability areas beginning October 1, 2007, under the FY-2008 annual numerical limitation.

同日,USCIS宣佈,7月2日起,所有收到的 I-485,以新排期表為準。排期未到的,全部退回。也就是說,所有7/2及以後收到的 EB I-485 將被退回。

中印的反抗

印度人為主的 Immigration Voice 發起了給USCIS送花的活動

中國人則成立了 LIA,合法移民協會(Legal Immigrant Association),網站 http://www.legalimmigrant.org ,聯繫議員等進行各種抗議活動

美國移民律師協會 AILA 也與 USCIS 進行談判,並準備提起訴訟。其旗下的American Immigration Law Foundation (現 American Immigration Council)已經擬好了訴狀準備提交,詳見 https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/litigation/lawsuit-visa-bulletin-adjustment-status

國會議員也對 USCIS 發出了質詢:

Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff requesting "all correspondence, e-mails, memoranda, notes, field guidance or other documentation relating to the issuance" of the "Update to July Visa Availability" on July 2, 2007. The letter contains thirteen separate questions and requests for information relevant to the issuance of the updated Visa Bulletin.

"The Department's unprecedented decision to reject adjustment of status applications has caused needless hardship and disruption to countless immigrants," noted Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "It has also come to my attention that USCIS began returning visa numbers to the State Department as early as Thursday, July 5, 2007, due to their inability to review applications effectively. The Department of Homeland Security has once again demonstrated its inability to complete even its core missions. This debacle demonstrates the need for more transparency and oversight of the department's operations and procedures."

移民局的妥協

7月17日,USCIS 發佈通知,繼續按照107號排期表收表一個月,至8月17日。

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, beginning immediately, it will accept employment-based applications to adjust status (Form I-485) filed by aliens whose priority dates are current under the July Visa Bulletin, No. 107. USCIS will accept applications filed not later than August 17, 2007.

同日,國務院在發佈的第109號排期表中表示,撤回108號排期表,繼續使用107號排期表。在109號排期,即8月排期中,宣佈所有EB名額均為U,直到下一財年恢復。(事實上,9月排期即開始恢復了,只有8月一個月是U)

D.  JULY EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA AVAILABILITY

After consulting with Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Visa Office advises readers that Visa Bulletin #107 (dated June 12) should be relied upon as the current July Visa Bulletin for purposes of determining Employment visa number availability, and that Visa Bulletin #108 (dated July 2) is hereby withdrawn.

E.   AUGUST EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA AVAILABILITY

All Employment-based preference categories are "Unavailable" for August. At this time, it is uncertain whether any numbers will be returned and can be reallocated at a future date. Until informed otherwise, all readers should assume that the categories will remain unavailable until October, which is the beginning of the new fiscal year.  

由於牽扯到7/30漲價(換表格)和8月排期變U,這個事情就複雜了:

  • 對於受到影響的 EB 來說,移民局承諾舊的 I-485 價格維持到8/17
  • 只有 I-485 可以用舊收費交,I-140 從 7/30 起要按照新收費(原價$195,新價$475)
  • I-485的新版舊版表格都可以使用
  • 對於 EB1a 和 NIW 來說,8/1 以後不可以 concurrent file,因為他們的 priority date 是以交 I-140 為準的。而8月排期是 U,所以他們不能按照7月排期,而必須按照8月排期來,即不能交 I-485

收表

移民局為此專門設立了網頁,公佈每周拆包進度

Weekly updates on Receipting – Until this situation is resolved, USCIS will provide these weekly updates on progress in issuing receipt notices to our customers. Additional information is available in Frequently Asked Questions, located under "Related Links" on this page.

不同的 Service Center 和 Lockbox,每周拆到哪天了,都會更新在網頁上。據說當年 I-485 拆了三個月,共收表 32萬份,並導致其他表格也都出現了不同程度的延誤。具體數據已不可查。

對排期的影響

排期倒退以後,除了EB1,都經歷了4-10年的時間,方恢復到2007年7月31日以後(即當年交表的全部可以拿卡了):

  • EB1:後退到2007年01月01日,並在一個月後轉C
  • 中國EB2:後退到2006年01月01日,直至2011年11月的排期表,才恢復到2007年7月31日以後(4年4個月後重新C)
  • 中國EB3:後退到2001年09月01日,直至2013年05月的排期表,才恢復到2007年7月31日以後(5年10個月後重新C)
  • 印度EB2:後退到2004年04月01日,直至2011年11月的排期表,才恢復到2007年7月31日以後(4年4個月後重新C)
  • 印度EB3:後退到2001年04月22日,直至2018年04月的排期表,才恢復到2007年7月31日以後(10年9個月後重新C)