Ask Visalaw.com

If you have a question on immigration matters, write Ask-visalaw@visalaw.com. We can't answer every question, but if you ask a short question that can be answered concisely, we'll consider it for publication. Remember, these questions are only intended to provide general information. You should consult with your own attorney before acting on information you see here.  

What is a local national?  What is a third-country national? 

 

 

I believe you are referring to processing a visa at a US consulate overseas. People from the country where our consulate is located are who are meant by the term “local nationals.” People from other countries are called “third country nationals.” So if a British citizen showed up at the US consulate in Toronto, that person would be a third country national. And a Canadian would be a local national.

 

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I’d like to know if you can get me the list of winners of the green card lottery?

 

The State Department keeps the list of lottery winners confidential and will also not verify that an individual has won or lost. The only way to know if you have won is to receive the winner's notification package.

 

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On the next day after my naturalization oath ceremony, I have to go for trip overseas. I will give my green card to USCIS during the ceremony.

I will not have time to obtain my US passport. What should I do? Can I have some kind of stamp in my Ukrainian passport from USCIS that will allow me to be permitted to come back to the USA and later receive my US passport?

 

You can get a US passport in 3 days. Is it not possible to wait and file for it before you leave?  If not, I'd suggest you email the US Consulate in the country where you will be visiting and ask them about their procedures for acquiring a passport there.

 

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Currently I am on H1B visa and this employer has filed a labor for Green
Card just in February this year.

Now, the more attractive new E-3 Visa is available to Australians.

My questions are:

1. Is it OK if I am Australian citizen or one should born in Australia to be
eligible for E-3 visa?

2. If another employer is happy to sponsor for E-3 and my Current employer
under H1B is happy if I accept the offer on E3 visa with other employer,  while continuing my current offer, can I have both visas. What happens to my green card application if I accept E-3 if I have both jobs.

Australian passport holders will be eligible for the E-3 regardless of where the citizen was born. Note that E-3 visas are not available to anyone yet and we are several weeks or months away from the State Department being ready to issue them. You cannot have both the E-3 and the H-1B at the same time. It might be possible to have concurrent E-3s, however. That remains to be seen and we'll have to wait until we get guidelines from the government. As for a green card application, it should not be affected by the E-3 application.

 

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