Immigration
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (“BCIS”): * BCIS has announced the availability of electronic filing (e-filing) for two types of applications: Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Document. Although many applicants will be eligible to take advantage of the e-filing system, some applicants will still need to make paper filings. Additional e-filing information may be obtained at www.bcis.gov ...
As seen in the Houston Business Journal
On April 9, 2003, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a new rule directing the national securities exchanges and national securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security of a company that is not in compliance with the audit committee requirements mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The new rule implements the requirements of Section 10A(m)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) by adding new Exchange Act Rule 10A-3 ...
Department of Homeland Security/Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service: * BCIS announced plans to implement electronic filing (e-filing) as an option for two of the most commonly submitted immigration applications, the Application to Renew or Replace a “green card” and the Application for Employment Authorization. BCIS plans to launch e-filing for these applications in May 2003 and to further expand e-filing to other applications and petitions in fall 2003 ...
Department of Homeland Security/Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service: * Immigration benefits previously provided by the Department of Justice’s Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) are now the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS). All familiar customer services are to remain in place ...
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * DOJ’s Immigration and Naturalization Service becomes part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 1, 2003. Within the DHS, the Bureau for Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS) will handle the immigration benefits function, including employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions and applications for adjustment of status. The new Director of the BCIS is Eduardo Aguirre ...
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * INS has temporarily lowered its filing fees for certain petitions/applications. The fee change is due to a provision of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 requiring the elimination of a surcharge the INS previously attached in order to fund asylum and refugee services, fee exemptions and fee waivers ...
Today – more than ever – corporate management is under attack. In the wake of the Enron debacle, corporate decisions are more carefully scrutinized, and the conduct of the company’s directors and officers are now constantly under the watchful eyes of investors, creditors, and government regulators ...
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * DOJ is implementing the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) to enable the government to track the approximately 35 million non-immigrants who enter the U.S. each year. As part of NSEERS, certain non-immigrants will continue to register at a port-of-entry upon admission to the U.S. Other non-immigrants who were admitted to the U.S ...
Homeland Security Act of 2002: * On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed the “Homeland Security Act of 2002” into law, which establishes the Department of Homeland Security and includes provisions which may significantly alter the visa issuance process at U.S. Consulate/Embassy posts and adjudication of INS petitions. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. Department of State: * DOS issued a Worldwide Caution on November 20 reminding the country that U.S ...
Department of State: * U.S. Consulate Ciudad Juarez, Mexico will no longer process Third Country National visa applications as of November 1, 2002. Only residents of the consular district and Third Country Nationals with FM2/3 visas will be allowed to apply. * DOS non-immigrant visa application fee will increase to $100.00 effective November 1, 2002 ...
Department of State: * DOS issued a Worldwide Caution on September 9, 2002 advising of the continuing threat of terrorist actions, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. DOS also indicates terrorist groups may seek softer targets including foreign facilities where American citizens are generally known to congregate or visit, such as clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events ...
Department of State: * DOS has released the instructions for the 2004 diversity immigrant visa program. The congressionally mandated program is a lottery for 50,000 permanent residence visas. Applicants must meet strict eligibility criteria. Instructions have been issued by the DOS at www.travel.state.gov/DV2004.html * Jordanians are now eligible for E treaty trader/treaty investor visas upon the basis of reciprocity secured by the United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act ...
Every company with operations or sales overseas should carefully consider whether it has effective policies and procedures in place that adequately manage the company’s risks under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that Enron Corp. is the target of a new U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation involving allegations of FCPA violations ...
Department of State: * Nationals of the twenty-six countries subject to additional DOS consular scrutiny are experiencing lengthy delays in the processing of nonimmigrant visa applications. For example, the U.S. Consulate in Paris is unable to specify how long its additional administrative processing will take for these cases, and the previously indicated time frame of 30 days is no longer applicable ...
Department of State: * DOS indicated it plans to end the visa and passport exemptions for Commonwealth Citizens residing in Canada. Currently, citizens of British Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the United States and do not need passports if they enter the U.S. from a Western Hemisphere country. New regulations would end the current visa and passport exemptions for these individuals ...
Dallas Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section Today-more than ever-corporate management is under attack. In the wake of the Enron debacle, corporate decisions are more carefully scrutinized, and the conduct of the company’s directors and officers are now constantly under the watchful eyes of investors, creditors, and government regulators ...
Dallas Bar Association Franchise and Distribution Law Section A publication and corresponding Powerpoint presentation covering the following: The Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship Shifts Certain Liability Risks from the Franchisor to the Franchisee Insurance Is Typically A Contractually-Negotiated Element of the Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship The Difference between First Party and Third Party Coverage The Basic Anatomy of an Insurance Policy What You Should Know About Comm
State Bar of Texas Insurance Law Section Annual CLE Program Introduction For the last several years, a dark cloud has hung over Texas policyholders seeking coverage for claims made against them for negligence but arising from the intentional conduct of others. Perhaps no other group has endured this storm more than employers who by their “deep pocket” status have routinely been hailed into court for the intentional acts of those they employ ...
In the Fall of 2000, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the “Federal Circuit”) issued a decision known to patent attorneys as “Festo.” Critics argued that Festo retroactively and severely restricted a patent holder’s rights, while proponents argued that the decision created more certainty when trying to decide whether a patent was infringed, thus significantly reducing the cost of patent litigation ...
Department of State: * DOS Visa Revalidation Unit is rejecting cases subject to the 30-day “Condor” security check. Certain responses on the supplemental visa application Form DS-157 trigger the 30-day “Condor” security check. Applicants receiving rejections for this reason must apply for the visa outside of the U.S. and will be subject to the 30-day “Condor” security check. Due to security issues, the DOS cannot divulge the basis for “Condor” triggering responses ...
Introduction Today--more than ever--corporate management is under attack. In the wake of the Enron debacle, corporate decisions are more carefully scrutinized, and the conduct of the company’s directors and officers are now constantly under the watchful eyes of investors, creditors, and government regulators ...
Department of State: ∙ DOS issued public announcements for Peru, Nepal, and the Philippines alerting U.S. citizens to the general security environment, the continued potential for violence, and the possibility of terrorist activity directed at American interests in the regions. ∙ DOS issued a travel warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza due to deteriorating security situations ...
Introduction A. Changes Since September 11. The events of September 11 have brought about an unprecedented surge of change in laws and regulations related to international trade and other aspects of global business. Companies would be well-advised to update and upgrade their trade compliance, internal monitoring and management systems to accommodate the changes that have already occurred and those yet to come. The U.S ...
