Tax Return 報税

As the deadline for filing tax return is around the corner, please remember that you have the responsibility to file a return form with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state government by April 15 if you have worked in the U.S. or received interests in your investment.  Generally, all green card holders and naturalized citizens need to file a return as a resident.  However, the fact that a person does not have a green card does not mean he/she should file a return as an alien.  Instead, that depends on whether the person met the substantial presence test in the previous tax year.  You should talk a qualified tax accountant or adviser if you are unsure about your status as a taxpayer.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

報税的最後期限將至，如果您去年曾在美國工作或從投資獲利，請切記您有責任在4月15日或之前將稅表遞交到聯邦及州政府的稅務局。 通常綠卡持有人和入了美國籍的公民需要以居民身份報稅。 然而，沒有綠卡並不等如您能以外國人身份遞交稅表。 納稅人是否需要以外國人身份報稅取決於上一年度有多少時間留在美國。 如果您對您的納稅人身份有疑問，您應該跟一位合資格的會計師或税務顧問查詢。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。

2011 April Visa Bulletin 2011年4月的簽證公報

According to the April 2011 Visa Bulletin, the biggest losers this time will be applicants under the F1 category, i.e., unmarried children of U.S. citizens.that are over 21 years old.  The priority date of this group retrogresses for 8 months for applicants born in China and India and the rest of the world except Mexico and the Phillippines.  Other than that, the priority date for most categories either remain the same or progress from a few weeks to a few months. 

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

2011年4月的簽證公報對大部份F1的移民簽證申請人是一則壞消息：中國、印度、及世界各地(除墨西哥及菲律賓)申請人的優先日期倒退八個月到2004年5月。其餘各類別的優先日期皆停留不動或向前進了數星期而已。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。

New Filing Address for AR-11 and AR-11SR 遞交AR-11 或 AR-11SR表格的新地址

USCIS announced this morning that from 3/15/2011, all AR-11 or AR-11SR have to be filed at the following new address:

DHS/USCIS
Harrisonburg File Storage Facility
Attn: AR-11
1344 Pleasants Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

All non-immigrants (such as students or H-1B workers) and resident aliens are supposed to file an AR-11 or AR-11SR when they have moved.  It is free to file the form.  Therefore, if you plan to move during summer, please beware of this change of filing location.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

移民局宣佈由2011年3月15日開始，所有AR-11 或 AR-11SR表格應遞交到下列的新地址：

DHS/USCIS
Harrisonburg File Storage Facility
Attn: AR-11
1344 Pleasants Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

所有非移民(如學生及H-1B工作者)在每次搬家後都應遞交 AR-11 or AR-11SR。這兩份表格都是免費的。所以如果你打算在夏天搬家，就應注意這個新的地址。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。

New Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card 新的工作及回美卡

Last week USCIS announced that it will issue a new card that serves as both work authorization and advance parole to adjustment of status applicants who file their I-131 and I-765 applications concurrently with or after filing their I-485 application.  In the past, applicants of adjustment of status will receive a work authorization card and a separate piece of paper that serves as a proof of advance parole if they choose to file an I-131 and an I-765.  Specifically, on the face of the work authorization card, there is a statement that says that the card is not valid for reentry purposes.  The issuance of this new card will allow adjustment of status applicants to carry one card for work and for reentry to the country after going overseas for a short period of time.  For some common questions and answers about this new card, please refer to the link Questions and Answers for the new Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card on the website of USCIS.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

上星期移民局宣佈他們將會發出新的工作及回美卡予在申請調整身份時或之後提交I-131 及 I-765表格的申請人。在此之前，申請人會分別獲得一張工作卡及一張回美紙，而且在工作卡上通常會附有「此卡不適用於回國用途」此類的字眼。現在申請人得到這張二合一的新卡之後，會發現工作卡上附有「可用作回美卡」的字眼，以後在短暫離開美國後不再需要另外帶一張回美紙才能入境，十分方便。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。

March 2011 Visa Bulletin 2011年3月的簽證公報

The March 2011 Visa Bulletin brings more bad news to most 2A applicants: except for applicants that were born in Mexico, the priority date for all other F2A applicants retrogressed one more year and visa numbers will only be available to applicants who have a priority date on or before January 1, 2007 in March 2011.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

2011年3月的簽證公報對大部份F2A的移民簽證申請人又是一則壞消息：除了在墨西哥出生的申請人外，其餘的申請人的優先日期再倒退一年到2007年1月。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。

H-1B Cap Count

According to USCIS, as of January 21, 62,800 H-1B cap-subject petitions have been receipted and 20,000 H-1B petitions from aliens who have an advanced degree have been receipted.  So if you want to change your status to H-1B in this fiscal year, you need to act fast! 

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

February 2011 Visa Bulletin 2011年2月的簽證公報

According to the February 2011 Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for F1, F2A, and F2B applicants that were born outside of Mainland China, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, and the Philippines are the same as dates released in January 2011.  Priority dates for F3 and F4 applicants born outside of those five countries retrogress for one year, i.e., Jan 1, 2001 and Jan 1, 2000 respectively.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

根據2011年2月的簽證公報，在中國大陸、多明尼加共和國、印度、墨西哥和菲律賓以外出生的F1、 F2A及F2B移民簽證申請人的優先日期皆停留在2011年1月的簽證公報所訂出的日期，沒有變動。F3和F4則倒後了一年，即2001年1月1日和2000年1月1日。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。