CIR Immigration Reform is not going to happen in 2014.

Immigration reform ain't happening between now and November 2014. Additional proof that the House won't take up immigration anytime soon came last week after President Obama openly criticized House Republicans for not allowing votes on immigration bills. After doing so, Obama phoned House Majority Leader Eric I. Cantor -- the man who actually controls the House schedule -- and made a direct plea. But Cantor said in a statement that the president had only called "after he issued a partisan statement which attacked me and my fellow House Republicans and which indicated no sincere desire to work together."

Cantor has previously signaled a willingness to work on elements of the immigration issue, but never spoken out as boldly as Boehner, who has said several times in recent months that he personally believes that Congress and the GOP need to act. In other words, it's not likely that we will have any progress on Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill in 2014. Congress failed to pass immigration reform in 2013, and it will be further delayed again. 

Read more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/04/25/immigration-reform-isnt-happening-anytime-soon-in-the-house-no-matter-what-john-boehner-says/

Beautiful Game Turned Ugly: Racism in Europe's Soccer Arenas

Since 2007, Germany requires language test from all prospective immigrants, even those married to Germans.

Michael Guhle met the love of his life on the beach of a little fishing village in Vietnam. Thi An Nguyen was selling freshly cooked mussels and fruit to the German tourist and they immediately clicked. Soon the Berlin nursing home worker was saving up all of his money and vacation days to visit Nguyen.

Marriage was supposed to bring them together. Instead, it was the beginning of a long ordeal apart. Germany blocked Nguyen from entering the country after she flunked the language test that Germany requires aspiring immigrants to pass — even those married to Germans.

"I thought marrying the person you love and living together was a human right," Guhle said in his modest two-room apartment on the outskirts of Berlin. "Apparently this is not the case in Germany."

Germany adopted German language regulations for prospective immigrants in 2007. Most EU countries — including France, Italy, Spain and Sweden — do not require foreign spouses to pass mandatory language tests before they join their partners in Europe. Austria, Britain and the Netherlands are among countries that require language tests before foreign spouses can enter the country, but experts say Germany's test is the toughest.

Read more at http://bigstory.ap.org/article/married-couples-separated-german-language-test

Interesting stats: B visa to USA or Tourist or Visitor visa denial rates in FY 2013 by country.

Interesting statistics from the U.S. Department of State: B Visa (visitor's or tourist's visa) denial rates in FY 2013 by country or nationality.

For example, a visitor's visa denial rate for citizens of Chile is only 1.6%, but it is 16.6% for citizens or nationals of Australia. Denial rate is 62.7% for citizens of Afghanistan, and 38.5% for citizens of Pakistan, 26.7% for citizens of Ukraine, but only 10.2% for citizens of Russia.

Here is a complete list of countries and the B visa denial rates arranged by country or nationality: 

http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY13.pdf

Luba Smal.

Immigration Attorney.

Note: This information is provided for legal information purposes only and should not be considered a legal advice; it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions it might be considered an attorney advertising. For more information or to schedule a consultation please visit http://www.law-visa-usa.com/contact_us.html or email at Attorney@law-visa-usa.com.