Immigration Blog Luba Smal Attorney at Law - Smal Immigration Law Office

Where to find Pro Bono or Free Legal Services for Immigrants in Nebraska

5/22/2025

If you are an immigrant and looking for free or reduced fee legal help, you can inquire in your state Bar Association for local referrals. In different states, there are various resources available to you at no fee or reduced fee, based on your income. There are Hotlines and Free Legal Aid clinics for low-income individuals all over the country.

In addition, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Office of Policy, Public Resources Program (PRP) administers the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers or the “List."

The List contains information on non-profit organizations and attorneys who can help without a fee. The List also contains information on pro bono referral services that refer individuals in immigration court proceedings to pro bono counsel.

Here is the EOIR List.

MEANING OF "PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES"
Pro Bono legal services are “those uncompensated legal services performed for indigent aliens or the public good without any expectation of either direct or indirect remuneration, including referral fees (other than filing fees or photocopying and mailing expenses).” 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61(a)(2).

RESOURCES IN NEBRASKA:

Free Legal Aid of Nebraska
https://www.legalaidofnebraska.org/
https://www.legalaidofnebraska.org/how-we-help/resources/immigrants/

Phone 402-348-1069

Phone (Toll-Free)1-888-991-9921

Nebraska Access
https://nebraskaccess.nebraska.gov/websites/legalaid.asp

Nebraska Free Legal Answers
https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/

Nebraska Low Income Legal Assistance
https://www.nefindalawyer.com/guide/59727ff7f36a56002e00039a/Low-Income-Legal-Assistance.html

Immigration Clinic in Lincoln, NE
https://law.unl.edu/immigration-clinic/

Catholic Charities of Omaha
https://ccomaha.org/immigration-legal-services/
For appointments at the St. Juan Diego Center please call 402.939.4615.

CLIA Center for Legal Immigration Assistance
https://www.clianeb.org/become-a-client

National Immigration Legal Services Directory for Nebraska:
https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/organization.393089-Immigrant_Legal_Center_ILC
Phone:
(402) 898-1349
Toll-free:
(855) 307-6730

NILAH Nebraska Immigration Legal Assistance Hotline
https://ciraconnect.org/contact-us/
Phone 1-855-307-6730

City of Omaha, Nebraska Immigration Policies in 2025

3/10/2025

City of Omaha, Nebraska 2025 immigration policies were announced by the Mayor and the Chief of Police in this video address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBHJUXlMIdE

How to Notarize a POA Power of Attorney with Apostille in a foreign language in Nebraska

10/26/2023

Я нотариус в штате Небраска. Если вам нужно заверить доверенность в штате Небраске, я буду рада вам помочь нотариально заверить доверенность для вашей страны на русском, украинском или белорусском языках.

Процесс заверения доверенности с апостилем на иностранном языке для страны за пределами США в штате Небраска:

1) Вы заказываете текст доверенности у нотариуса в вашей стране.
2) Нотариус или ваши близкие высылают вам черновик/текст доверенности как Word doc по емейл.
3) Вы вышлите мне черновик доверенности по емейл. Я проверю, чтобы оформление документа соответствовал законам Небраски.
4) Мы встретимся, и вы принесете доверенность и ваш паспорт или другой документ удостоверяющий личность, и я нотариально заверю вашу подпись на доверенности (доверенность может быть на языке вашей страны, но нотариальное заверение будет на английском).
5) Вы или пошлете нотариально заверенную доверенность по почте или лично подъедете в офис Секретаря Штата Небраска в город Линкольн для получения Апостиля на вашу доверенность.
6) Вы вышлите вашим родным готовый документ по почте. Перед этим вы отсканируйте и сохраните копию, не разделяя страницы доверенности.
7) В вашей стране ваши родные закажут перевод доверенности, так как хотя доверенность на вашем родном языке, но нотариальное заверение и апостиль сделаны на английском.

Буду рада вам помочь. Для контакта выберите емейл и объясните в чем вам нужна помощь.

(10-26-2023: В настоящее время с сентября 2023 Беларусь ввела ограничения на прием доверенностей, заверенных за пределами Беларуси).

VAWA Self-Petitions I-360 and I-485 Adjustment of Status to be Filed in Nebraska

2/8/2023

A very important update for people preparing to apply for VAWA, Form I-360, and/or file a concurrent adjustment of status application, Form I-485.

Starting February 10, 2023, self-petitioning abused spouses, children, and parents must file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, and Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, at the Nebraska Service Center instead of the Vermont Service Center.

If you are a Self-Petitioning Abused Spouse, Child, or Parent filing:
Then mail your petition/application to:

Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant:

Nebraska Service Center
U.S. Postal Service (USPS):
USCIS
P.O. Box 87426
Lincoln, NE 68501-7526
FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: 360 VAWA
850 S St.
Lincoln, NE 68508-1225

Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status:

Nebraska Service Center
U.S. Postal Service (USPS):
USCIS
P.O. Box 87426
Lincoln, NE 68501-7526

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: 485U VAWA
850 S St.
Lincoln, NE 68508-1225

USCIS updated the addresses on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-360, Immigrant Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er) or Special Immigrant, page and the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, page.

USCIS will allow a 30-day grace period for petitioners to file Form I-360 and Form I-485 at the Vermont Service Center. Items must be postmarked on or before March 12, 2023. USCIS will reject and return any application, secure identity documents, and other correspondence to the safe address, preferred address or the address of the Attorney or Accredited Representative if any listed on an accompanying Form G-28.

Briefly in Russian:

Очень важная перемена - начиная с 10 февраля 2023 все петиции ВАВА для жертв домашнего насилия и грин карты по этой категории будут подаваться на в Вермонт, а в Небраску!

Если вам нужна помощь - пожалуйста обращайтесь!

Контактный емейл адрес нашего офиса в Небраске. Мы занимаемся петициями ВАВА с 2005 года.

COVID-19 Update from Nebraska Supreme Court

3/13/2020

The Nebraska Supreme Court entered an order applicable to all courts on March 12, 2020 imposing requirements upon litigants and attorneys who meet the order’s definition of having an elevated risk of infection with COVID-19. Attorneys must notify opposing counsel and the Court if any party, witness or attorney meets the order’s definition and shall not attend any hearing, trial, conference, deposition or other proceeding without prior authorization from the Court. The full text of the order may be found at the link below.

https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/nebraska-chief-justice-issues-order-regarding-coronavirus-covid-19

All virus related announcements from the Court will be posted at the site listed above.

USCIS, DHS, NVC and DoS useful links, forms, fees and contact details

1/11/2017

Полезная информация (контакты, даты, сроки, как с ними связаться) об иммиграционной службе США, Национальном Визовом Центре, офисах по политубежищу, посольствам и консульствам США.

USCIS or DHS website where you can find USCIS contact number, webforms and download all applications and forms for free is here.

USCIS Case Status: you can check status of your pending case online here.

USCIS Processing Times: you can see how fast cases are being adjudicated or decided by different USCIS / DHS offices around the United States here.

USCIS Change of Address Form Online: you can submit your change of address form online here.

USCIS Case Inquiry Webforms: you can submit your questions or case inquiry directly to USCIS by using one of the webforms here.

How to find USCIS field offices, ASC Application Support Centers, Asylum officers - use USCIS Officer Locator here.

How to Find a Medical Doctor for a USCIS I-693 Medical Examination - use USCIS Designated Doctor Locator.

How to verify if a particular USCIS office is open or closed due to bad weather or other circumstances - use USCIS Office Closings Daily Bulletin, which is updated daily.

USCIS International Offices Processing Times - use this link to find out current processing times at USCIS offices located overseas.

Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin is posted by Asylum Office here.

US Department of State Monthly Visa Bulletin: you can find monthly visa bulletin and check how fast your priority date is progressing here.

NVC National Visa Center contact information - if you need to contact NVC regarding a pending case.

You can find out current Visa Fees for various visas to USA here.

Know Your Rights: What to do during the ICE or immigration raid at work, at home, in a public place; what questions you must answer and when you shall remain current. Download a PDF file in English here.

To schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney who speaks English and Russian, please email us to schedule.

Nebraska and Iowa introduced new bills amending mandatory detention provisions, to require an ICE mandatory detainer for an undocumented immigrant who is charged with a crime resulting in death or serious injury.

6/30/2016

In both states, Nebraska's and Iowa’s senators unveiled new bills on Thursday, June 30th 2016, requiring federal immigration officials (ICE) to take custody of someone in the country illegally when he or she is charged with a crime resulting in death or serious injury.
The lawmakers are calling their bill “Sarah’s Law” in honor of Sarah Root, a 21-year-old Iowan killed earlier this year in an Omaha crash that prosecutors say was caused by a man in the country illegally.

The lawmakers are Sens. Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley of Iowa and Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer of Nebraska.
Prosecutors say that an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Eswin Mejia, 19, had a blood alcohol content three times the .08 legal limit when his pickup truck slammed into the back of Root’s SUV. Officials say he had been street racing.
Mejia was arrested after the crash, but he was released on bail a few days later and disappeared. Omaha police say they had contacted ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, but they declined to issue a detainer for Mejia (declined to place him into ICE custody and refer him for removal or deportation to Immigration Court)
The new legislation would amend the mandatory detention provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It will require immigration officials to identify and provide relevant information to crime victims and their families.
“It is an outrage that our immigration system has become so convoluted that someone who came here illegally or overstayed their visa and is responsible for the death of an American citizen is not considered an enforcement priority and is not detained,” Senator Joni Ernst said in a press release.
Read more here.

Nebraska Governor vetoed another bill which would have allowed DACA grantees to apply for professional and commercial licenses in Nebraska.

4/15/2016

UPDATE: On April 20, 2016, over the objections of Gov. Pete Ricketts, Nebraska Legislature overrode Governor's veto. Nebraska passed a bill that will allow young immigrants who entered the United States illegally, and later obtained federal DACA deferred action status, to apply for professional and commercial licenses in Nebraska.

The Legislature voted 31-13 to override Ricketts' veto. Thirty votes were needed to override.

Last year, Nebraska DREAmers won another victory when the legislature again overrode Gov. Ricketts’ veto of a bill that would allow DACA recipients to apply for driver’s licenses.

*************************************************

On April 15, 2016, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed a bill that would have allowed young immigrants brought to this country illegally as children to get professional and commercial licenses.

Legislative Bill 947 would have made it possible for those immigrants to obtain the licenses and credentials needed to enter a host of occupations, including teaching and tattooing.

Governor's action sets up a second clash with the Legislature over the same group of young people - DACA grantees.

Last year, the governor vetoed a similar bill that provides driver’s licenses to young people in the federal DACA program, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Legislature overrode that veto.

This year, lawmakers passed LB 947 on a 33-11 vote, three more than the number needed for a veto override.

It remains to be seen if Nebraska Legislature will override Governor's bill again.

It should be noted that some DACA grantees can take the next step and apply for permanent residency (aka green card), and therefore, become lawful permanent residents. If a DACA grantee obtains a federal advance parole (travel document), travels abroad and returns to USA on advance parole, he or she might be able to apply for a green card, provided they are otherwise eligible.

How and where to apply for your U.S. passport in Omaha, Nebraska. Only one USPS office will handle all applications.

10/2/2015

Interesting news for Omaha, Nebraska residents who plan to apply for a new passport or to renew their expired passport in Omaha.

The Omaha Post Office is changing the way passports are issued. Now, all passports processed in Omaha, NE will be handled by the Omaha Passport Center (formerly Postal Impressions) in Millard's Deerfield Plaza at South 136th and Q streets.

This will be the only location where you can schedule an appointment to submit your passport application. Call 402-891-1922 for more information or email [email protected]. Hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.

In Russian:

В Омахе штат Небраска подача всех заявлений на получение или смену паспорта США будет производиться только в одном офисе (почтовый офис), расположенном по адресу: Millard's Deerfield Plaza at South 136th and Q streets.

Чтобы назначить время для подачи заявления следует позвонить по телефону (402) 891-1922 или написать по адресу [email protected]. Помните, что обязательно получить дату и время для вашего passport appointment.

Read more here.

USCIS revised procedures for determining VISA availability for adjustment of status applicants (I-485) in both family-based and employment-based visa categories.

9/9/2015

On September 09 2015, USCIS Announces Revised Procedures for Determining Visa Availability for Applicants Waiting to File for Adjustment of Status.

USCIS, in coordination with Department of State (DOS), is revising the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status. The revised process will better connect USCIS procedures with the US Department of State (DOS) procedures, which are used for foreign nationals who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.

The Visa Bulletin revisions implement November 2014 executive actions on immigration announced by President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson, as detailed in the White House report, Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st century, issued in July 2015.

What is Changing.

Starting October 1, 2015, you will be able to submit your application for adjustment of status or for an immigrant visa before your priority date is current.

Two charts per visa preference category will be posted in the DOS Visa Bulletin:

Current priority dates for particular visa categories; and
The earliest dates for filing application for adjustment of status (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).

See October 2015 Visa Bulletin here. However, the priority dates in the Visa Bulletin can retrogress in November. Consult an attorney about your specific case so you won't miss the opportunity of applying earlier.

When filing an application for adjustment of status, I-485, an applicant can concurrently file an application for a work permit and advance parole. This is great news for many immigrants waiting for many years for their priority dates to become current. However, it's a good idea to consult an immigration attorney before applying.

Each month, in coordination with DOS, USCIS will monitor visa numbers and post the relevant DOS Visa Bulletin chart. Applicants can use the charts to determine when to file their Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

To determine whether additional visas are available, USCIS will compare the number of visas available for the remainder of the fiscal year with:

Documentarily qualified visa applicants reported by DOS;
Pending adjustment of status applications reported by USCIS; and
Historical drop off rate (for example, denials, withdrawals, abandonments).

About the Visa Bulletin.

DOS publishes current immigrant visa availability information in a monthly Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin indicates when statutorily limited visas are available to prospective immigrants based on their individual priority date.

The priority date is generally the date when the applicant’s relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on the applicant’s behalf with USCIS. If a labor certification is required to be filed with the applicant’s immigrant visa petition, then the priority date is when the labor certification application was accepted for processing by Department of Labor.
Availability of an immigrant visa means eligible applicants are able to take one of the final steps in the process of becoming U.S. permanent residents.

Read more here.

August 17, 2015 USCIS Memo: New L-1B Visa Adjudications Policy for Intracompany Transferees with Specialized Knowledge.

9/3/2015

On August 17 2015, USCIS published L-1B adjudications policy memorandum. New memo provides guidance on the adjudication of the L-1B classification, which permits multinational companies to transfer employees who possess "specialized knowledge" from their foreign operations to their operations in the United States.

New memo provides consolidated guidance on the L-1B program, superseding and rescinding all prior L-1B memoranda. This memo applies only to L-1B visas/employees with specialized knowledge (not L-1A visas).

"Preponderance of the Evidence" Standard of Proof: a petitioner seeking approval of the L-1B visa, must establish that they meets each eligibility requirement of the L-1B classification by preponderance of evidence. This standard of proof is lower than that of "clear and convincing evidence" or "beyond a reasonable doubt" standards.

Elements of the L-1B Classification:

In order to establish eligibility for approval, the L-1B petitioner must show:
(1) that the beneficiary possesses “specialized knowledge”;
(2) that the position offered involves the “specialized knowledge” held by the beneficiary; and
(3) that the beneficiary has at least one continuous year of employment abroad in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity with the petitioning employer and/or any qualifying organization (collectively referred to as the “petitioning organization”) within the preceding 3 years.

If the beneficiary will be located primarily at the workplace of an unaffiliated company, the petitioner also must establish that the beneficiary is eligible for L-1B classification under the requirements of the L-1 Visa Reform Act, discussed below in section VI.

The new memo provides definition of "specialized knowledge".

A petitioner can demonstrate “specialized knowledge” by establishing either one of two statutory criteria. Under the statute, a beneficiary is deemed to have specialized knowledge if he or she has:
(1) a “special” knowledge of the company product and its application in international markets; or
(2) an “advanced” level of knowledge of the processes and procedures of the company.
INA 214(c)(2)(B).

The corresponding regulation similarly defines specialized knowledge in terms of “special” or “advanced” knowledge:
[S]pecial knowledge possessed by an individual of the petitioning organization’s product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests and its application in international markets, or an advanced level of knowledge or expertise in the organization’s processes and procedures.
8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(D).

Other important things to keep in mind:
>>Specialized knowledge generally cannot be commonly held, lacking in complexity, or easily imparted to other individuals.
>>Specialized knowledge need not be proprietary or unique to the petitioning organization.
>>The L-1B classification does not involve a test of the U.S. labor market.
>>Specialized knowledge workers need not occupy managerial or similar positions or command higher compensation than their peers.

The memo notes the following "non-exhaustive" list of factors USCIS may consider when determining whether a beneficiary’s knowledge is specialized:

The beneficiary possesses knowledge of foreign operating conditions that is of significant value to the petitioning organization's U.S. operations.
The beneficiary has been employed abroad in a capacity involving assignments that have significantly enhanced the employer's productivity, competitiveness, image, or financial position.
The beneficiary's claimed specialized knowledge normally can be gained only through prior experience with the petitioning organization.
The beneficiary possesses knowledge of a product or process that cannot be easily transferred or taught to another individual without significant economic cost or inconvenience (because, for example, such knowledge may require substantial training, work experience, or education).
The beneficiary has knowledge of a process or a product that either is sophisticated or complex, or of a highly technical nature, although not necessarily unique to the petitioning organization.
The beneficiary possesses knowledge that is particularly beneficial to the petitioning organization's competitiveness in the marketplace.

Other evidence that a petitioner may submit to demonstrate that an individual’s knowledge is special or advanced, includes, but is not limited to:
• Documentation of training, work experience, or education establishing the number of years the individual has been using or developing the claimed specialized knowledge as an employee of the petitioning organization or in the industry;
• Evidence of the impact, if any, the transfer of the individual would have on the petitioning organization’s U.S. operations;
• Evidence that the alien is qualified to contribute significantly to the U.S. operation’s knowledge of foreign operating conditions as a result of knowledge not generally found in the petitioning organization’s U.S. operations;
• Contracts, statements of work, or other documentation that shows that the beneficiary possesses knowledge that is particularly beneficial to the petitioning organization’s competitiveness in the marketplace;
• Evidence, such as correspondence or reports, establishing that the beneficiary has been employed abroad in a capacity involving assignments that have significantly enhanced the petitioning organization’s productivity, competitiveness, image, or financial position;
• Personnel or in-house training records that establish that the beneficiary’s claimed specialized knowledge normally can be gained only through prior experience or training with the petitioning organization;
• Curricula and training manuals for internal training courses, financial documents, or other evidence that may demonstrate that the beneficiary possesses knowledge of a product or process that cannot be transferred or taught to another individual without significant economic cost or inconvenience;
*Evidence of patents, trademarks, licenses, or contracts awarded to the petitioning organization based on the beneficiary’s work, or similar evidence that the beneficiary has knowledge of a process or a product that either is sophisticated or complex, or of a highly technical nature, although not necessarily proprietary or unique to the petitioning organization; and
• Payroll documents, federal or state wage statements, documentation of other forms of compensation, resumes, organizational charts, or similar evidence documenting the positions held and the compensation provided to the beneficiary and parallel employees in the petitioning organization.

A petitioner may submit any other evidence it chooses. In all cases, USCIS will review the entire record to determine whether the petitioner has established by a preponderance of the evidence that the beneficiary has specialized knowledge under the totality of the circumstances. Merely stating that a beneficiary’s knowledge is somehow different from others or greatly developed does not, in and of itself, establish that he or she possesses specialized knowledge. Ultimately, it is the weight and type of evidence that establishes whether the beneficiary possesses specialized knowledge.

USCIS can issue a RFE (Request for Evidence) for various reasons to I-129 Petitioner. Denial rate is high, RFE rate is even higher for L-1B petition. The new memo is intended to help to solve many difficulties with obtaining a L-1B visa for qualifying applicants.

See August 17, 2015 memo at http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2015/L-1B_Memorandum_8_14_15_draft_for_FINAL_4pmAPPROVED.pdf

DV-2016 Green Card Lottery update from the US Department of State. More than 11 million applications submitted - only 50000 green cards are available annually in this lottery. Visa issuance period starts on October 1, 2015 and ends on September 30, 2016.

6/9/2015

Applicants from all over the world who registered for the DV-2016 program were selected at random from 11,391,134 qualified entries (17,573,350 with derivatives) received during the application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 until noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, November 3, 2014.

The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country.

The Kentucky Consular Center registered and notified the winners of the DV-2016 diversity lottery. Approximately 91,563 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa (so called"selectees" or "winners"). Some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger number (91,563 selectees) should insure that all DV-2016 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2016 (October 1, 2015 until September 30, 2016).

During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested.

Registrants living legally in the United States who wish to apply for adjustment of status instead of consular processing of their visas, must apply through USCIS Department of Homeland Security (** Please note that you have to be eligible for adjustment of status. Therefore, if you were selected as a winner in the Green Card lottery and you live in the United States, it's advisable to consult an experienced attorney before applying for your green card).

Once the total *50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2016 will end. Selected applicants (aka "selectees" or "winners") who do not receive visas by September 30, 2016 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2016 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2016 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2016.

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This resulted in reduction of the DV-2015 annual limit to 50,000. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

P.S. Our office would be happy to assist you with your DV visa application or adjustment of status should you be selected as a winner. Please email us to schedule a phone or Skype consultation. Please remember that a visa must be issued prior to September 30th of the current fiscal year (09-30-2016 for DV-2016 winners). No visas will be issued after this date. If selected as a winner you should act fast and submit your applications and required documents in a timely matter. Assistance of a qualified and experienced immigration attorney would be of great help to many.

The following is the statistical breakdown by foreign-state chargeability of those registered for the DV-2016 program:

AFRICA

ALGERIA  1,952

ETHIOPIA 4,000

NIGER 102

ANGOLA  108

GABON 32

RWANDA 412

BENIN  914

GAMBIA, THE 67

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE 2

BOTSWANA  4

GHANA 3,179

SENEGAL 427

BURKINA FASO 199

GUINEA 1,818

SEYCHELLES 0

BURUNDI 208

GUINEA-BISSAU 4

SIERRA LEONE 2,141

CABO VERDE 6

KENYA 2,729

SOMALIA 272

CAMEROON 3,047

LESOTHO 5

SOUTH AFRICA 535

CENTRAL AFRICAN REP. 23

LIBERIA 4,430

SOUTH SUDAN 17

CHAD  40

LIBYA 240

SUDAN 3,216

COMOROS  3

MADAGASCAR 75

SWAZILAND 7

CONGO 124

MALAWI 17

TANZANIA 93

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 4,475

MALI 114

TOGO 1,241

COTE D’IVOIRE 1,129

MAURITANIA 15

TUNISIA 227

DJIBOUTI 92

MAURITIUS 41

UGANDA 453

EGYPT  4,024

MOROCCO 1,993

ZAMBIA 57

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 0

MOZAMBIQUE 11

ZIMBABWE 152

ERITREA 544

NAMIBIA 18

ASIA

AFGHANISTAN 406

JAPAN 302

QATAR 42

BAHRAIN 13

JORDAN 349

SAUDI ARABIA 267

BHUTAN 22

NORTH KOREA 0

SINGAPORE 39

BRUNEI 1

KUWAIT 143

SRI LANKA 704

BURMA 236

LAOS 1

SYRIA 460

CAMBODIA 1,229

LEBANON 225

TAIWAN 297

HONG KONG SPECIAL
ADMIN. REGION 151

MALAYSIA 95

THAILAND 73

INDONESIA 126

MALDIVES 3

TIMOR-LESTE 0

IRAN 4,501

MONGOLIA 185

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 103

IRAQ 330

NEPAL 3,801

YEMEN 724

ISRAEL 162

OMAN 12

EUROPE

ALBANIA 1,931

GREECE 93

NORWAY 35

ANDORRA 0

HUNGARY 186

POLAND 629

ARMENIA 1,277

ICELAND 3

PORTUGAL 58

AUSTRIA 50

IRELAND 89

Macau 23

AZERBAIJAN 380

ITALY 410

ROMANIA 626

BELARUS 811

KAZAKHSTAN 376

RUSSIA 2,200

BELGIUM 47

KOSOVO 244

SAN MARINO 0

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 92

KYRGYZSTAN 209

SERBIA 283

BULGARIA 865

LATVIA 73

SLOVAKIA 70

CROATIA 67

LIECHTENSTEIN 0

SLOVENIA 33

CYPRUS 28

LITHUANIA 153

SPAIN 193

CZECH REPUBLIC 74

LUXEMBOURG 0

SWEDEN 108

DENMARK 35

MACEDONIA 258

SWITZERLAND 122

ESTONIA 40

MALTA 0

TAJIKISTAN 337

FINLAND 57

MOLDOVA 1,854

TURKEY 1,795

FRANCE 510

MONACO 0

TURKMENISTAN 124

French Polynesia 1

MONTENEGRO 8

UKRAINE 4,507

Saint Martin 1

NETHERLANDS 81

UZBEKISTAN 4,300

Wallis and Futuna 1

Aruba 4

VATICAN CITY 0

GEORGIA  571

Curacao 2

GERMANY 678

NORTHERN IRELAND 9

NORTH AMERICA

BAHAMAS, THE 16

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA 832

NAURU 12

SAMOA 5

Cocos Islands 1

NEW ZEALAND 208

SOLOMON ISLANDS 0

FIJI 393

Cook Islands 4

TONGA 26

KIRIBATI 4

PALAU 4

TUVALU 0

MARSHALL ISLANDS 0

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 3

VANUATU 5

MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF 3

SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 0

DOMINICA 6

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS 2

ARGENTINA 68

GRENADA 7

SAINT LUCIA 5

BARBADOS 0

GUATEMALA 31

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 7

BELIZE 0

GUYANA 14

SURINAME 3

BOLIVIA 49

HONDURAS 73

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 51

CHILE 17

NICARAGUA 58

URUGUAY 21

COSTA RICA 50

PANAMA 5

VENEZUELA 1,038

CUBA 1,488

PARAGUAY 7

P.S. Natives of the following countries were not eligible to participate in DV-2016: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born, excluding Hong Kong S.A.R., Macau S.A.R., and Taiwan), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

Our office would be happy to assist you with your DV visa application or adjustment of status should you be selected as a winner. Please email us to schedule a phone or Skype consultation. Please remember that a visa must be issued prior to September 30th of the current fiscal year (09-30-2016 for DV-2016 winners). No visas will be issued after this date. If selected as a winner you should act fast and submit your applications and required documents in a timely matter. Assistance of a qualified and experienced immigration attorney would be of great help to many.

Nebraska to start issuing driver's licenses to young immigrants who were granted deferred action under DACA program which is in effect since 2012.

5/28/2015

Nebraska will start issuing driver's licenses to DREAMers or young people who were granted deferred action under DACA ("DACA grantees").

Nebraska is the last state to join the other 49 states who are already issuing driver's licenses to young people with approved DACA deferred action. This program has been in effect since 2012.

On Tuesday, Nebraska Legislature overrode Governor's veto on this bill by 34 to 10 vote.

Read here.

Pending court case can affect Presidential elections in 2016. Issue is whether it’s legal to hold in ICE detention facilities women and children, including unaccompanied minors, who have crossed the border illegally.

5/20/2015

Obama administration’s immigration policy faces a shake-up next week—and the court’s ruling could reverberate in the 2016 presidential campaign.

At issue is whether it’s legal to essentially lock up women and children who have crossed the border illegally, part of the administration’s response to summer 2014 unaccompanied-minors crisis.

Lawyers for some of these families sued the government, and last month, a U.S. District judge in Los Angeles issued a tentative ruling, a summary of which was obtained by Newsweek, stating that the administration policy violates a settlement in a 1997 immigration case, Flores v. Meese.

Judge gave the two sides 30 days to negotiate an agreement that would lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to release the minors and their parents from the family detention centers where they are being held. Those 30 days run out on Sunday, May 24, 2015.

The judge issued a gag order, so it’s quite difficult to know whether or not there will be a real settlement by May 25, 2015.

Obama’s detention and deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants remains a sore spot for immigrant rights and Latino activists, even after the president granted a reprieve, via executive order and under DACA program, to millions of young people who came to the United States as children and to those who have children who were born here and thus are American citizens (DAPA, which is not effective yet, pending another court case).

The practice of holding thousands of women and their children in detention for many months—it’s just mothers and their kids in these detention facilities (in Texas and Pennsylvania), most of them fleeing dire circumstances in Central America—has prompted a particularly strong backlash.

Immigrant rights groups have been very critical of this practice.

Read more at Newsweek.

How to apply for a work permit, EAD card. Effective May 26, 2015, some H-4 spouses will be eligible to apply for a work permit. NOTE: Not all H-4 are eligible for EAD.

5/20/2015

USCIS has published information to help eligible H-4 dependent spouses to apply for employment authorization (work permit) under the Employment Authorization for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses final rule.

Note: you can file application for a work permit only on or after May 26, 2015, and you must be eligible to apply.

Application form is USCIS form I-765, and the filing fee is US$380.

Note: it is applicant's burden of proof to provide evidence of your status, your H1B spouse's status and prove that you meet other eligibility requirements. Your application can be delayed or denied if it's incomplete.

Eligibility requirements: you are eligible to apply for a work permit if you are the H-4 dependent spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant IF your H-1B nonimmigrant spouse:

Is the principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; or
Has been granted H-1B status under sections 106(a) and (b) of the AC21. The AC21 permits H-1B nonimmigrants seeking employment-based lawful permanent residence to work and remain in the United States beyond the six-year limit.

Read here.

Effective March 09 2015, same-sex couples in Nebraska can marry. Judge struck down Nebraska gay marriage ban.

3/2/2015

UPDATE 03/06/2015:

Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage will remain in place while the state appeals a federal judge's decision to strike it down.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday issued a stay of U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon's decision this week to end the ban.
It means that no same-sex marriages will be allowed starting March 9th, as was expected under the federal judge ruling.
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A federal judge has struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage. Effective March 9, 2015, same-sex couples in Nebraska can marry.

As a practical matter, a US citizen petitioner in the same-sex marriage in Nebraska can now petition for his/her spouse's permanent residency (aka green card) in the United States.

According to an injunction filed in federal court Monday, Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon said "all relevant state officials are ordered to treat same-sex couples the same as different sex couples in the context of processing a marriage license or determining the rights, protections, obligations or benefits of marriage."

The order is effective March 9 2015 at 8 a.m.

Within moments of Judge Bataillon's injunction, the State of Nebraska filed an appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced January 17, 2015 that it would decide whether same-sex couples have a right to marry everywhere in America under the Constitution. A decision is expected by late June.

Nebraska is the 38th state in the USA to allow same-sex marriage.

Read more at:

http://www.ketv.com/politics/judge-rules-on-nebraskas-samesex-marriage-ban/31519918?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=FBPAGE&utm_campaign=ketv7&Content%20&linkId=12636249

In February 2015 Nebraska joins federal RIDE program: E-Verify records and information from DMVs.

2/18/2015

Nebraska Joins E-Verify RIDE Program:

On February 1, 2015, Nebraska became the latest state to join E-Verify's Records and Information from DMVs (RIDE) program. The other participating states are Mississippi, Florida, Idaho, and Iowa. RIDE links E-Verify with state departments of motor vehicles and state public safety offices. The program allows E-Verify to validate the authenticity of driver's licenses and state identification cards that employees present as identity documents for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states that driver's licenses and ID cards account for nearly 80 percent of the documents used as proof of identity by employees for E-Verify.

Read more about Driver's License Verification at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employers/drivers-license-verification

States participating in RIDE program, as of 02/18/2015:

Mississippi - June 2011

Driver's Licenses
ID Cards

https://www.ms.gov/hp/drivers/license/Main.do

Florida - December 2012

Driver's Licenses
ID Cards

http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/dlnew.html

Idaho - July 2013

Driver's Licenses
ID Cards

http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/

Iowa - September 2013

Driver's Licenses
ID Cards

http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/index.htm

Nebraska - February 2015

Driver's Licenses
ID Cards

http://www.dmv.nebraska.gov/