RapidVisa Blog

RapidVisa is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business with an A+ Rating.  This means RapidVisa is recognized to have the highest level of business practices. Please read the business practices below for a further explanation.

Customers will soon start using the online Electronic Immigration System (ELIS) to pay the $165 USCIS Immigrant Fee after they receive their immigrant visa package from the Department of State and before they depart for the United States. USCIS ELIS is easy to use and provides direct access to case status updates. New immigrants will also use USCIS ELIS to file future applications and petitions when they become available in the system.

The poverty guidelines are the other version of the federal poverty measure. They, too, are issued every year, generally in the winter, but by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in the Federal Register. The guidelines are a simplification of the poverty thresholds created for administrative use, such as determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs. They are adjusted for families of different sizes and by geographic location (with different guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia; Alaska; and Hawaii).

Starting on Monday, May 6, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) USCIS will Require Individuals to Submit Biometric Data when appearing at USCIS offices. The USCIS will implement a program called Customer Identity Verification (CIV) in its field offices that will now be require individuals to submit fingerprints and photographs, when appearing at USCIS offices for interviews or to receive evidence of an immigration benefit.

To increase efficiency, reduce operating costs and streamline the admission process, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is automating Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record process.  CBP will no longer require international non-immigrant visitors to fill out a paper Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record upon arrival to the U.S. by air or sea. The traveler will be provided with a CBP admission stamp on their travel. 

If you worked in Singapore for 6 months or more from age 16, you definitely need a Police Clearance for your US Embassy Interview. Here's the instructions on how you get obtain a Singapore Police Clearance. Certificate of Clearance (COC) is issued by the Criminal Investigation Department of Singapore Police Force to CITIZENS OF SINGAPORE to certify that a person has no criminal conviction in Singapore. Applicant must show documentary proof from the relevant consulate/immigration authority/government authority which clearly indicates that the production of the COC is required. All applicants must pay attention to the following application procedure and documentation requirements: IMPORTANT INFORMATION: 1) Singapore Citizen residing in Singapore is to appear in person at the COC Office located at Blk D Police Cantonment Complex, #02-07/08, 391 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088762. The office is open from 8.30am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). 2) Singapore Citizen residing overseas...

Please be reminded that even though nonimmigrant visa fees are valid for one calendar year, options to schedule an appointment are limited.  The U.S. Embassy in Manila schedules hundreds of thousands of nonimmigrant visa appointments each year, and we must accommodate requests both for new appointments and for those applicants who need to reschedule their appointments for whatever reason.  Applicants are only allowed to reschedule twice (not including the initial appointment) without penalty.  If the second rescheduling attempt is canceled, an applicant will only be allowed to reschedule a new date after a waiting period of 90 days.  Please plan your visa application accordingly to avoid problems securing an interview appointment. http://manila.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visa.html#8...

As part of ongoing commitment to improving customer service, USCIS has recently introduced new options for customers to obtain information and check on the status of their application electronically and has also expanded its call center hours.

  They expanded the capabilities of two of our online tools, My Case Status and e-Request, to provide these more flexible options:

My Case Status now allows customers to view the current status of applications they submit, no matter which USCIS form they used. My Case Status now lets them track, through our Secure Mail Initiative (SMI),...

ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ESTA is an online, automated application system developed by the United States government to pre-screen travelers before they are permitted to board an airplane or ship bound for the United States. Starting on January 12, 2009, any person entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is required to hold an approved ESTA Travel Authorization.