So, I visited the place and really the preparation for the Sunday event was amazing. Plenty of food, fun and music on the huge screens. The eye catching activity was the 800 ft. zip line ride from the super high tower. The artificial narrow turf under it was also nice site where children ran and rolled some even played football. The NFL experience allowed the visitors to kick, throw and catch the ball was really nice. I tried some and watched the rest with interest.

I know that preparation and publicity was well done and many who volunteered for the event came from outside Indianapolis. It was hard to believe that Capital avenue was closed for traffic and Indy downtown was busy and crowded even on weekday evenings. Everyone is pouring in from everywhere it appears because the Basket ball team from Oralndo, FL got no flight nor the hotels available reported the media.

Such is the craze for football in U.S.A.

Adoptions between the countries that participate in the International Adoption Convention at Hague must follow the guidelines prescribed by the Convention. United States signed the International Hague Adoption Convention on April 1, 2008 and Vietnam now participates in this Convention starting Feb. 1 2012.

The Hague Adotion Convention sets specific standards to be followed for the protection of adopted children and adoptive and original parents. The convention guidelines require that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) certify that the convention standards are complied with. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) such certification at present is forthcoming from DOS regarding Vietnamese adoption and that in the absence of such a certification USCIS would not approve the immigration processing for vietnamese adopted children.

USCIS therefore cautions against filing applications for international adoption of children from Vietnam.

The Department of State is responsible for such changes and allocation of work between its office locations. The present applicants are advised to email the U.S. Consulate at Chennai at ChennaiIVU@state.gov on the processing of pending applications.

Immigrant visa allows the foreign national to live and work in the United States permanently. It is used largely by the qualified family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

H1B petitions were last receipted on 11/22/11, reported USCIS and that commencing 11/23/11 USCIS would reject all new filings of cap subject H1Bs.

Masters Cap exemption, allotted at 20,000, was reached even earlier. Cap exempt H1Bs and extension applications for H1B status that were already counted in the Cap may still be filed.

This means U.S. employers no longer would be able to hire new H1B workers starting work this Fiscal Year. Free economy needs that employers be able to hire workers according to the business needs. Immigration Law must give employers this flexibility. It is neesssary to increase the H1B quota.

F, M and J visa issuance was temporarily stopped at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. The issue apppears to be a technological glitch because of which Consulates were unable to verify data with the Students and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Foreign student admissions at U.S. educational institutions are required to be through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) also known as SEVIS. Schools admitting the foreign students and the Consulates issuing visa are required to timely update and verify student information before taking any action invloving foreign students. The interactive systems helps communication between schools and involved government agencies. A systems failure could make it impossible to verify student data with SEVIS.

Students may be delayed in joining the selected course program, DOS had cautioned earlier. The attending issues joining the course late may follow even after receiving student or exchange visitor visa.

Department of State, that controls the U.S. Consulates quoted its inability and had earlier suspended issuance of all F, M, and J visa. Fortunately, the systems failure was detected and fixed within days and government begins visa issuance.

The government seeks to standard procedures for an organization to be recognized as a research institute and also provide for inclusion of new institutions and removal of existing organizations from the list.

It is going to be more bureaucracy. The proposed changes would also require each listed institution to seek renewal every ten years, of its status as a research organization.

EADs in existence would be replaced by the redesigned EADs upon expiry. However, the older citizenship certificate issued so far would remain valid indefinitely. The new design would be incorporated in the certificates issued from now on.

Let us hope that every officer would know about the existence of different certificates in future. Permanent resident cards nowadays display an expiry date, following change in government policy, while previous green cards with no expiration dates remain valid. But, reports are frequent that travellers are questioned who provide the older green cards with no expiration dates.

Foreign nationals who were married to U.S. citizen for less than two years when the U.S. citizen spouse died were given a two year relief to self petition for themselves and certain dependents. This two year period deadline is set to expire on October 28, 2011.

Widow(er)s are reminded by the USCIS to file their petitions in time in order to retain eligibility for widow or widower immigration benefits.

Foreign students as a rule must take set minimum course hours and provide proof of indepndent source of financial support for education and living expenses in U.S. These are established eligibility criteria to student visa.

Employment and course load requirement is heavily regulated. Economic hardship, if unforeseen and beyond one’s control, provides an exception and a foreign student may be able to reduce course load by following specific procedure and take up authorized employment.

Foreign students in U.S. face a lot of difficulties as such. The government decision for the humanitarian relief to students from struggling Libya is worthy of appreciation.

Conditions to apply for this benefit have been relaxed but there are timelines to watch out for. Eligible Haitian nationals could now apply for an extension or even make an initial application. New applications could be made till November 2011 but limitations apply about continuous residence and physical presence.

TPS offers benefits like employment authorization in and protection against removal from the United States. This means that employers could hire TPS nationals who hold a valid EAD. Although permanent residence is not a direct benefit flowing from this status, a national of TPS country while in the United States in this status may adjust his status through other avenues to become permanent resident.