NVC stopped collecting ORIGINAL documents from the visa applicants on November 12, 2014. Photocopies of the documents can be submitted instead.

UNCLASSIFIED 14 STATE 130716

Subject: National Visa Center No Longer Collecting Original Civil Documents

1. Summary. The National Visa Center (NVC) will cease collecting original civil documents in 

support of immigrant visa (IV) applications as of November 12, 2014. Most applicants will be 

required to submit photocopies of supporting documents (such as birth, marriage, and police

certificates) and will be instructed to take their original documents to their interviews for review.

This does not include Affidavit of Support forms, which petitioners will still submit to NVC for 

initial evaluation. End Summary.

New Instructions to Applicants

2. After applicants and petitioners collect the Affidavit of Support form(s), financial evidence, 

and supporting civil documents, they are instructed to submit all of the documents to NVC. As of 

November 12, 2014, applicants at non-electronic processing posts will be instructed to submit 

photocopies of their civil documents by mail. NVC will review the copies and, when the case is 

documentarily complete, will place the copies into the file, which will be sent to post, increasing 

the number of cases that are documentarily qualified. When the appointment is scheduled, NVC 

will instruct applicants to bring their original documents to the interview for evaluation and final 

case processing. Original Affidavit of Support forms will still be submitted to NVC for initial 

evaluation. Applicants at designated electronic processing posts will continue to submit their 

documents via email. 

3. NVC anticipates this change will maintain the integrity of the IV process, reduce customer 

wait times, and improve the customer experience overall. 

UNCLASSIFIED 14 STATE 130716

See at http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/policy_updates/National%20_Visa_Center_No_Longer_Collecting_Original_Civil_Documents_November_2014.pdf

USCIS had updated and improved its Case Status website.

USCIS had updated their website. Case status portal works well on mobile devices. You can check a status of your pending applications at:
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

Read more at:
http://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-website-gets-new-look-and-enhanced-tools

Migration trend in Russia: more people will leave Russia in 2014 than in 1999. Highly qualified workers, scientists, businessmen are moving abroad.

Interesting migration statistics from Russia. In 8 months of 2014, 203,659 people immigrated from Russia. This is the highest number since 1999, when 214,963 people left Russia permanently to settle abroad.

Rate of immigration from Russia has accelerated because of recent political events.

Read more at: http://www.gazeta.ru/business/2014/10/30/6282685.shtml

DV-2016 (Green Card Lottery) registration period is open until November 03 2014.

DV-2016 (Green Card Lottery) registration period is open until November 03 2014.

The ONLY official website where an entry can be submitted is 

https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ 

(Please be aware of numerous fraudulent websites promising to submit your entry. Official US government website ends with .GOV - not .COM).

Please remember to spell your names correctly, provide correct date, city and country of birth and don't make mistakes checking your highest educational level. Also, attach correct photos for a correct family members. Please keep in mind that this is a lottery and a person who is initially selected as a winner can be denied a visa for a number of "silly" reasons such as marking a wrong educational level or misplacing family members passport photos.

Good luck!

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.          

Russia to Launch Pilot Project to Fingerprint Visa Applicants

• The Moscow Times
• Sep. 28 2014 17:15

Russian embassies and consulates in four countries will soon launch a pilot project requiring visa applicants to submit their fingerprints, Interfax reported Sunday, citing the Foreign Ministry's consular division.

Starting in January 2015, Russian consulates in Britain, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia will begin implementing fingerprinting technology, the report said.

The initiative will help determine the feasibility of collecting biometric data at other Russian diplomatic and consular facilities, according to Yevgeny Ivanov, the director of the Foreign Ministry's consular department.

Ivanov said that the project had been under consideration for several years and that it was not intended to indicate a tightening of requirements for Russian visa applicants.

He added that Schengen countries are set to begin collecting the biometric data of Russian visa applicants next year.

Read at http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/507937.html