April 2018 - S2NRI

USCIS Immigration Law Amended: Signature Required

April 26, 2018 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

The USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) has come with some really rough and tough immigration laws. The Trump ruling governance is committed to bring the natives at the fore position. Be it education or any job facility, it works dead seriously to protect its civilians’ rights.

However, the recent amendments introduced a sigh of relief for NRIs or non-resident Indians. Every year, around 65,000 people from across the world file petition for the non-immigrant visa. And its biggest share falls into the bag of India and China, which are around 15,000 visas.

Let’s catch on a few recent amendments that would be valuable for you.

What is the change in the form?

The non-immigrant visa requires two Forms to fill. One is I-129 and another is Form I-907. The former form represents the petition on behalf of the non-immigrant work. The employers file it. The latter form displays the petition filed under premium processing. However, this kind of processing is suspended for the financial year 2018. I’ll put more light over it in the upcoming section of this article.

According to the alterations in the USCIS immigration law,

The interim memorandum’s policy on the power of attorney signature is invalidated.
The implication of prohibition over the power of attorney’s signature would not be applicable if the applicant is younger than 14 years/ disable.
Only authorized employer or employee would be valid. This improvised rule will come into effect from March, 2018.
The signature of the petitioner would be verified as an authorized signature.
The USCIS holds right to rejection of the petitions those are inked by the power of attorney holder.
The immigration authority will not allow that discrepancy to be corrected if the petition is found with a faulty signature.
The competent authority will come with more updated information time to time. That updated bulletin will throw light on the specification of the authenticated signature.
The scheme of digital signature is in the pipeline of the same authority.

Why?

The changes might be meager. But, they have consistency and integrity to withstand the natives’ right. This is a strong step to safeguard their immigration system.

H1B visa cap:

After a long cease, the US foreign affair authority has lifted ban over receiving H1B visa applications. Prominently, the highly qualified professionals of information technology, science, mathematics and medicine apply for this visa every year. But, the previous year proved bitter for those applicants.

Now, the authority has announced to accept the same visa application from April 2, 2018. But these applications would be effective for the upcoming financial year (that is 2019).

It is noteworthy that the petitioners must submit fee for the Forms I-907 and Form I-129 separately. If one pays cheque showing the combined payment, his/her petition would be rejected. It implies that the separate payment is mandatory. This arrangement would be effective until the suspension of premium processing would be lifted up.

Catch what the premium processing actually is.

Suspension of Premium Processing for 2019:

The premium processing is an expedited processing of the H1B visa program. If you are willing to work in the USA, you should go for this visa facility. The employer files petition on your behalf.

This kind of quick visa application is suspended for now. The amendment will be followed till the next update. Although, the suspension is valid till the next financial year. Earlier, the petitioners with the US master degree were kept away from such bar. But now, they would also follow the same route of suspension. Their application would likely to be considered in the next financial year.

Bear in mind that this service is suspended temporarily. It will resume in the future.

When can be the expedite request accepted?

The expedited processing would be accepted for the financial year 2019 if the application meets these criteria:

The company is undergoing severe financial loss
Emergency
Humanitarian ground
Non-profit organization that is in the interest of the United States
National Interest situation
USCIS flaw
Interest of the USCIS

Why suspension?

The applications are in bulk to process at the USCIS office. The authority is unable to process them all. And their count is swelling up and up.
The adjudication is aligned for those who have completed 240 days and need H1B extension.

DigiLocker to Avail Online Attestation on Aadhaar & PAN Card

April 23, 2018 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

The world will soon transform into a digital landscape. India is also looking forward for jumping into the same bandwagon. Sluggishly, its every arena is witnessing this makeover. To add one more feather to the hat of digital India, its government has introduced the concept of a DigiLocker. The UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) incorporates the government in inserting this evolutionary service.

As its name suggests, the DigiLocker is an occupied space on the cloud platform. It can act as a conduit wherein you can plunge into the desirable service of documentation. Be it in a context of the birth certificate issuance or attestation over multiple certificates from India, you can get & store any significant document. It’s safe and will maintain the confidentiality of your vital documents.

If you want to get registered with any government body, like Municipal Corporation of Delhi or Mumbai, it’ll be an endpoint. It will enable you to apply for the certificates, like NABC, BC, Passport, and PAN card etc. digitally. Thereby, you can walk through online processing for getting e-copies of the required document. Every registered citizen would be able to acquire a digital locker on the cloud. What you actually require to do is to link Aadhaar number with the DigiLocker.

How can you link a DigiLocker with Aadhaar?

However, embedding your Aadhaar number with every bank account and mobile number used to be mandatory. But, the Supreme Court has postponed this mandate for an indefinite time period. A few thought groups have petitioned to cease it. They found it a subtle attack on their privacy. Therefore, the matter is under trial. Till the verdict, none would have a necessity to link their account & mobile number with the Aadhaar.

Anyhow, the DigiLocker is really a worthy platform to approach any government entity online. Let’s look into how you can link it with your unique ID:

Go to the government website- gov.in
Sign up to create your account.
The next prompt will ask you to add Aadhaar number.
Input it.
As you feed the number, the next step would ask you to type in the OTP. This OTP will be sent on the registered mobile number with it.
Enter the OTP. Your number would be verified automatically.
Finally, your Aadhaar number would be stockpiled in it.

How can you download that digital Aadhaar number?

Go to the aforementioned website.
Sign into your locker.
Click on the dialog box that would enable you to get it. It mentions ‘Get your eAadhaar’. Click it.
A link will pop up. It will ask for the OTP again.
Hit the message that reads ‘Get OTP’.
The OTP will pop up on your mobile phone.
Note and input into the field to authenticate your account.
A page will appear with the caption ‘Issued Document’.
Select Aadhaar to download it.
Click the save button.

How can you verify for the PAN number via this locker?

Go to the aforesaid website.
Move the cursor to the left window pane.
Select ‘Issued Documents’.
An embedded message will display to inform you that Issued documents come directly into your DigiLocker from a registered government departments and agencies. You can also pull documents from some partners and add to issued documents.
The next step will prompt you to click a hyperlink that reads ‘Pull documents’.
Move to the Partner Name caption below.
Click ‘Income Tax Department, Govt. Of India’ from the dropdown list.
Turn down to the ‘Document Type’ field.
Hit the filter button to select the ‘PAN Verification Record’.
Turn to the section that reads ‘Search your document by entering the required details’.
Fill the details, like name, date of birth, gender and PAN.
Tick the check box.
Hit the ‘Get Document’ tab.
This action will integrate your PAN data into the DIgiLocker.
Save it.

What benefits it can avail?

All integrated documents will be accessible 24X7 anywhere online.
You can save time in searching, scanning and uploading your documents. Just sign in and fetch the documents from this digital locker.
The government would be able to manage the entire data of your significant documents. It can reduce administrative burden and minimize paper management.
The verification would be a walkover as it is run by the government.
The user can eSign to self -attest the document.

What is Virtual ID? How to Link It With Ujjawal Yojna & DBT?

April 20, 2018 Manoj Sodhani Comments 0 Comment

Do you have an Aadhaar Card? Have you integrated it with your mobile phone and bank account?

The government had issued a notice to unify them as a guideline earlier. But yes, the Supreme Court has kept this matter under consideration. You don’t need to share it with your bank or telecom service provider unless the verdict comes out. It’s your personal unique identity. The apex court has granted you a liberty to keep it with you.

Meanwhile, there is an alternative number that can replace the necessity of the Aadhaar number.

Do you know what I am saying? If you don’t understand, catch on-what the virtual ID is, why you would need it and when it can be possible to use it.

What is Virtual ID?

The word ‘virtual’ determines something that is not physically present. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched the concept of a ‘Virtual ID (VID)’ to secure your sensitive data. This kind of data can be your bank account number, password, credit card details and something that a hacker looks for.

As I aforesaid, the Aadhaar number is a vital credential. You never know whether or not the person has malicious intention. And, if someone gets in without your acknowledgement, the security of your sensitive bank details will be at stake. Even, the Apex Court also has understood the sensitivity of this matter. This is why it has decided to put this case under trial.

Now, what if you don’t ever need to share this number? Won’t it be an ‘Aha, Moment!’ for you?

Of course, it will be. The threat of hacking won’t mean anything, then.

Anyways! This is actually going to happen soon, according to UIDAI’s official Twitter post. You would have your own virtual identity number. Once you will get it, you can use it desirously wherever the Aadhaar link is necessary. I said ‘desirously’ because you can input either your original 12-digit ID or your virtual ID.

So! You would soon have your virtual ID in the mid of this year. Therefore, you can easily get off the potential grave consequences of its hacking via the VID.

Why do you need to link it with the social benefit services, like Ujjwal Yojna and DBT?

The cybercrime is at a surge. Amid such surge, the central government has to take an initiative. Therefore, it came with a solution of creating a substitute identity.

Do you get any social welfare benefit from the government? In other words, you might be a part of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna. Or, perhaps you get direct benefit transfer (DBT), pensions, scholarship and fellowship. You have to input your unique identity number with your provident fund account. You can’t file for an IT return unless you link it with this number. Banks also deny opening an account without it. And, if you need to apply for a PAN Card, you can’t unless you insert this ID number on its application form.

You come in the hot water if you share your UIDAI-issued ID. All the aforementioned social benefit services require you to feed in that sensitive detail. If you link it, your details could be publicized. The private agencies, most probably, would have its access.

Would you ever like to share it, then?

This is where VID came into the mainframe.

How can you create your VID?

Unlink a 12-digit Aadhaar ID, this virtual identity number would be 16-digit long. Walk down to know how you can create it:

Go to the official UIDAI’s official website.
Enter the Aadhaar card details.
Load in your security code.
Feed in the OTP that would flash on your registered phone number.
Now, create your Virtual ID. Enter 16 characters to do so.

When will it be effective?

The VID introduction was rolled out in January, 2018. But officially, it will be effective from the month of June this year.

Best Career Opportunities for NRIs in India

April 5, 2018 Manoj Sodhani Comments 1 comment

Job Opportunities in Indian Government Sector:

Indian is an ideal region for the job opportunists. According to the economic times, the union budget (2018-19) mentioned 2.53 lakh central government jobs in the two previous months. The finance minister Arun Jaitley announced to throw 35.05 Lakh job opportunities as on 1^st March 2018. If you compare this figure with 32.52 Lakh employees, the difference of around 2.53 Lakh career opportunities would reflect. Of course, this difference would be ahead of the figures shown in 2016.

Moreover, the central government department would add on about 2.27 lakh jobs between 2016 and 2017. There are more government departments that would appreciate in the next financial year (FY). These include the Department of Agriculture (3,996+1,944), Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries (3,861), the Department of Atomic Energy (36,918), the Ministry of Civil Aviation (1197), Ministry of Culture (7675+3024), Home Ministry (5,836), Police Department (11,25,093), the Ministry of External Affairs (9672+1196), the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change (5119), the Mines Ministry (8562) and the Minority Affairs Ministry (772).

However, it’s true that the natives possess the right to be employed first. But, the lucrative perks take the brilliant brains out of this country. The job, perks & future security tempts an aspirant to hook to it. Like a native, an NRI can also think alike. He/she might give the selection in the Civil Services India would have in any corner of the mind.

Can they apply for the same? Let’s check below.

Do all NRIs eligible for government jobs in India?

The non-residents are the Indians who lived abroad for 180 days more or less. They can be a person of Indian origin (PIOs) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). The former one is already a discarded service now.

So! Are they eligible to be deployed on any government designation?

Well, its answer is pretty straightforward. Those who have not renounced their Indian citizenship and have its passport, they are eligible. They can have millions of career opportunities in India’s government sector, telecom, technology and manufacturing sectors.

Many of the Indians surrender their citizenship to acquire the residency of a foreign nation. It’s not illegal. Neither is it unethical. Anyone can renounce his citizenship. But those who retains or acquire later, they qualify for the government job exams. Meanwhile, the age, education and experience are also the metrics those should be equivalent to its fixed criteria.

What are the steps involve in the government jobs appointment?

The government, here, is impartial when it comes to the conducting an employment exam. Be it any NRI or citizen, it has the same hurdles for all. Usually, there are multiple steps in the selection. The biggest challenge is to come out as a winner from multiple steps that are applications, document verification, examination, interview, re-interview. He/she should come across all these hurdles through physical presence.

Are you thinking about the next section? Yeah! It defines the name of the sectors that tend to come out with massive counts of vacancy in these sectors.

Sectors:

Healthcare: The biotechnology, contract research & manufacturing, clinical research and pharmaceutics combined to form this sector. The E&Y report valued the biotechnology sector worth $4 billion in 2010-11.The Indian CRAMS sector generated value worth $7.6 billion in 2012. The recent US immigration law amendments have turned millions of heads toward India. The H1B visa is basically an instrumental document to get deployed there. But the stringent immigration laws have converted the aspiration into mere a dream. Now, the highly educated like PhD, doctors and analysts are not permitted to go there. The Trump administration has conditioned it with the ‘American First’ rule in every job. It directly is benefitting the Indian healthcare sector. The skilled workforce and healthcare professionals would hunt for the career opportunities here. Thereby, it would scale up exponentially.

Also, the NRIs who would be deported on visa expiry can find better jobs here.

Infrastructure: This sector began showing its prominence after India’s Eleventh 5 year plan, as per the Mckinsey Report. Investment in this sector showed 4.9 percent GDP growth in 2002-03. It exceeded and showcased around 7.2 percent in 2011-12. It reached around 10 percent of GDP in 2016-17.

Being a developing nation, India has thousands of jobs in building ports, roads, nuclear plants and private companies. The Make In India project of the Modi-led government has accelerated its progress. Also, the India Salary Benchmark report of Michael Page also applauded its extra-ordinary contribution to the economic growth. The footprints of Japan’s RTRJ in the development of urban transport system appear as a breakthrough. It is so because this standard would be hired to eliminate the chaotic Kolkata’s transport system.

Therefore, the highly skilled non-residents can be the foremost choice to employ for this sector.

Telecom: The boom in this sector won’t be it unless there would be reliance. It is the forerunner on the plethora of the telecom world’s mobile broadband penetration. Also, the digitization drive has added rapid pace to it. Since 1990s, it shows the heights of the market liberalization. The world’s second largest mobile user base with over 1183.04 million users (till September 2017) is enough to impress the non-resident diaspora. It can seek an exhaustive number of vacancies in this sector.
Government: There is no fixed share of NRIs defined in the government sector. But as aforesaid, all those who have the Indian passport would be eligible to take part in the UPSC exams. They can become an IAS, IPS, IFS and many more reputed officers.

Their citizenship would be the prime factor to make them eligible for the same. Apart from that, they must look into the age limit and qualification criteria.

Information Technology: It is emerging as the largest cost effective outsourcing country in the world. The competitive ecosystem can be seen in the market here where Reliance once burst the monopoly of Airtel & Vodaphone.

The business landscape is reshaping due to interception of machine learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Software product, aggregators, fintech and eCommerce industry will likely to have explosive demand of the technology professionals. Digital transformation, data security, data migration and cyber bullying would be fought with the highly skilled IT engineers. Like their demand, the salary package would go sky high, i.e. upto 26% to 30% on an average. Therefore, the immigrants from this country can have a prosperous career here.

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Month: April 2018