Why Your Credit Score Is Important

If you haven’t looked at your credit report within the last year, you should go to www.annualcreditreport.com. This site allows you to request a free credit report annually from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It’s important to get all three because the reports may be different. Your credit report contains the data used to calculate your credit score and it may contain mistakes and inaccuracies. Check once a year to make sure that there are no late payments incorrectly listed for any of your accounts and that the amounts owed are correct for each of your open accounts. If there are errors on your credit reports, you can dispute these with the credit bureaus who must investigate within 30 days. You can also use one of these free tools to get an
estimate of your FICO score, the credit score most commonly used by lenders. To get your actual FICO score you must pay a fee.

•  The report card at www.credit.com does a "soft pull" on your credit to give you an indication of your credit score.
•  After answering a series of questions about your credit history, www.bankrate.com has a FICO score estimator which will provide a range they believe your score will fall within.
• There are also a number of free tools at www.creditkarma.com such as a credit score simulator which simulates how certain financial transactions affect your credit score over time.

FICO scores range from a low of 300 to a high of 850. The higher the better. Lenders look at your credit score when deciding whether to extend you credit – and if so, how much they’ll lend and at what rate. Having a good credit report means it will be easier for you to get loans and lower interest rates. Lower interest rates usually translate into smaller monthly payments.

Each lender decides on its own benchmark. Some lenders may decline a loan request with a personal credit score of less than 650 while others may consider a request with a credit score above 525. It all depends on the lender. If you are one of the many people whose credit score suffered in the last few years, you should consider attending our Free Credit Restoration Seminar. The presenters at our seminar will help you to take control of your debt, deal with debt collectors, improve your credit, create a budget, save and plan for your future, and much more. Improving your credit score is a crucial step in
positioning yourself – and your business – to get approved in the future.

It is very important that you, as a small business owner manage your personal credit responsibly over time. A good credit score is like insuranceyou may never need to use it, but it is very important you have it
should the need ever arise.

Figeroux & Associates
26 Court Street, Suite 701
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718–834-0190
Fax: 718-222-3153
Website: http://nettaxservices.com

Click here to register for our free Credit Restoration Seminar

Annual ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Report Finds One-in-Four Consumers Victims of Card Fraud. 42 percent of US consumers report card fraud

Debit and credit card fraud is more common than ever but in some countries, like the United States, the problem is much more prolific. U.S. consumers aren't the only victims of card fraud, but they are among the most likely to experience fraudulent activity, according to a recent study.

The annual ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Report found a quarter of all consumers across the globe had been impacted by pre-paid, debit or credit card fraud in the past five years. However, the problem was more prevalent in the United States, with 42 percent of those surveyed saying they had direct experience with fraudulent activity.

The only country reporting a higher level of fraud was Mexico, with 44 percent of those surveyed saying they had experienced card fraud in the past five years. Countries with the lowest levels of fraud were The Netherlands and Sweden, which tied with only 12 percent of their residents experiencing fraud.

Consumers want banks to notify them

In addition to looking at the rate of pre-paid, debit and credit card fraud, the study considered consumer attitudes. An overwhelming number of those surveyed expressed a desire to partner with banks when it came to fraud prevention efforts. Overall, 82 percent of respondents said they would like to be notified of unusual activity on their account prior to the bank taking action.

Consumers prefer to be called on their mobile phone immediately when suspicious activity has been detected. Email and text messages were other methods by which many consumers said they would want to be notified. The 2012 survey results were notable because they did not include notification by home phone, which was the second most preferred method cited in the 2011 survey.

Cards use drops but risky behavior continues after fraud

After an experience with card fraud, 21 percent of cardholders stopped using their accounts or switched to a new card. Of those who received a replacement card, 45 percent of those surveyed used the new card less than the original one. In addition, half of those who experienced card fraud reported using cash or another payment alternative rather than their pre-paid, debit or credit card.

While 49 percent of consumers were concerned identity theft could harm their financial rating and status, many continue to engage in behaviors putting them at risk for card fraud.

Among the risky behaviors identified by the ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Report are the following activities:
Keeping written records of PINs
Failing to shred documents containing sensitive information before disposing of them
Using public or unsecure computers to conduct online banking or shopping
"While there have been significant advances in fraud prevention technology, it is clear that more needs to be done to educate consumers about fraud and engage them as allies when it occurs," said Mike Braatz, Senior Vice President of Payments Fraud for ACI Worldwide, in a written statement.

Keeping Families Together

Whether it is a family that is separated when a father or mother is ordered deported, or the traumatic situation for children that are being removed from their family because of a divorce,  keeping families together is a priority at Figeroux & Associates.  In a divorce, unlike deportation proceedings, the mother and father can seek counseling, whether spiritual or legal to keep the marriage together. In a deportation proceeding, there is rarely any Federal relief.  Research shows there is a higher risk for impaired neurodevelopment, psychiatric problems, abuse, poverty, homelessness, incarceration, suicide and early death, when family units are broken.  That is, a one parent family.

Figeroux & Associates, Keeping Families Together initiative uses a compassionate legal approach to deportation proceedings or divorce issues. We believe like most family counselors believe that supportive programs for the children, mother and father are important and necessary for deportation and divorce litigation that can result in separated families.  It is the policy of Brian Figeroux, Esq., to always advise the clients at Figeroux & Associates, that are in deportation or divorce proceedings to seek family counseling that can help in these difficult times.

In earlier years, the question of divorce or deportation was seldom raised, simply because divorce or deportation was almost never encountered in minority communities and was unusual even in the general population. Today, however, it has become a very real problem because of various repressive deportations laws passed by Republicans, and, with marriages, women have become less socially and  religiously inclined to tolerate abuse, infidelity or harassment by their spouse. For women, biblical pressure such as:

“Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornification, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matthew 19:9; see also Matthew 5:31, 32).

no longer hold the “weight” whether old or new Testaments because of women suffrage laws and greater social, economic and political independence.

 To reduce the emotional stress and economic cost of litigation on divorce and deportation issues, Figeroux & Associates, has introduced technology that can assist client with easier access to attorneys and paralegals, thus reducing stress and cost.  Visit Figeroux & Associates, online divorce project at www.onlinedivorceny.com, and for deportation issues, visit http://www.falaw.us/Immigration-Site/.

DV 2014 Program-Online Registration Closed

 Registration for DV 2014 is now closed - additional entries cannot be accepted. Online registration for the DV-2014 Program began on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concluded on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4). DV-2014 entrants will be able to check the status of their entries as of May 1, 2013 through Entrant Status Check (ESC) on the E-DV website.

ARGUMENTS FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

America is a nation of immigrants. Our American journey and our success would simply not be possible without the generations of immigrants who have come to our shores from every corner of the globe. It is helpful to take a moment to reflect on the important contributions by the generations of immigrants who have helped us build our economy, and made America the economic engine of the world.

How do immigrants strengthen the U.S. economy? Below is our top 10 list for ways immigrants help to grow the American economy.

. Immigrants start businesses. According to the Small Business Administration, immigrants are 30 percent more likely to start a business in the United States than non-immigrants, and 18 percent of all small business owners in the United States are immigrants.

. Immigrant-owned businesses create jobs for American workers. According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, small businesses owned by immigrants employed an estimated 4.7 million people in 2007, and according to the latest estimates, these small businesses generated more than $776 billion annually.

. Immigrants are also more likely to create their own jobs. According the U.S. Department of Labor, 7.5 percent of the foreign born are self-employed compared to 6.6 percent among the native-born.

. Immigrants develop cutting-edge technologies and companies. According to the National Venture Capital Association, immigrants have started 25 percent of public U.S. companies that were backed by venture capital investors. This list includes Google, eBay, Yahoo!, Sun Microsystems, and Intel.

. Immigrants are our engineers, scientists, and innovators. According to the Census Bureau, despite making up only 16 percent of the resident population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, immigrants represent 33 percent of engineers, 27 percent of mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientist, and 24 percent of physical scientists. Additionally, according to the Partnership for a New American Economy, in 2011, foreign-born inventors were credited with contributing to more than 75 percent of patents issued to the top 10 patent-producing universities.

. Immigration boosts earnings for American workers. Increased immigration to the United States has increased the earnings of Americans with more than a high school degree. Between 1990 and 2004, increased immigration was correlated with increasing earnings of Americans by 0.7 percent and is expected to contribute to an increase of 1.8 percent over the long-term, according to a study by the University of California at Davis.

. Immigrants boost demand for local consumer goods. The Immigration Policy Center estimates that the purchasing power of Latinos and Asians, many of whom are immigrants, alone will reach $1.5 trillion and $775 billion, respectively, by 2015.

. Immigration reform legislation like the DREAM Act reduces the deficit. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, under the 2010 House-passed version of the DREAM Act, the federal deficit would be reduced by $2.2 billion over ten years because of increased tax revenues.

. Comprehensive immigration reform would create jobs. Comprehensive immigration reform could support and create up to 900,000 new jobs within three years of reform from the increase in consumer spending, according to the Center for American Progress.

. Comprehensive immigration reform would increase America’s GDP. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that even under low investment assumptions, comprehensive immigration reform would increase GDP by between 0.8 percent and 1.3 percent from 2012 to 2016.

As a nation of immigrants, we must remember that generations of immigrants have helped lay the railroads and build our cities, pioneer new industries and fuel our Information Age, from Google to the iPhone. As President Obama said at a naturalization ceremony held at the White House last week:

The lesson of these 236 years is clear – immigration makes America stronger. Immigration makes us more prosperous. And immigration positions America to lead in the 21st century. And these young men and women are testaments to that. No other nation in the world welcomes so many new arrivals. No other nation constantly renews itself, refreshes itself with the hopes, and the drive, and the optimism, and the dynamism of each new generation of immigrants. You are all one of the reasons that America is exceptional. You’re one of the reasons why, even after two centuries, America is always young, always looking to the future, always confident that our greatest days are still to come.

We celebrate the contributions of all Americans to building our nation and its economy, including the generations of immigrants.

To learn how Comprehensive Immigration Reform, CIR, can effect you and 12 million undocumented persons, schedule a free in office consultation with an experienced immigration attorney at Figeroux & Associates, click here. To schedule a paid telephone consultation with an experienced immigration attorney at Figeroux & Associates click here.

Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Over the past three years, this Administration has undertaken an unprecedented effort to transform the immigration enforcement system into one that focuses on public safety, border security and the integrity of the immigration system. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to focus its enforcement resources on the removal of individuals who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety, including individuals convicted of crimes with particular emphasis on violent criminals, felons, and repeat offenders, DHS will exercise prosecutorial discretion as appropriate to ensure that enforcement resources are not expended on low priority cases, such as individuals who came to the United States as children and meet other key guidelines. Individuals who demonstrate that they meet the guidelines below may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and may be eligible for employment authorization.

You may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals if you:

* Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
* Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
* Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
* Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
* Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
* Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

About Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

What is deferred action?
Deferred action is a discretionary determination to defer removal action of an individual as an act of prosecutorial discretion. Deferred action does not confer lawful status upon an individual. In addition, although an individual whose case is deferred will not be considered to be accruing unlawful presence in the United States during the period deferred action is in effect, deferred action does not excuse individuals of any previous or subsequent periods of unlawful presence. Under existing regulations, an individual whose case has been deferred is eligible to receive employment authorization for the period of deferred action, provided he or she can demonstrate “an economic necessity for employment.” DHS can terminate or renew deferred action at any time at the agency’s discretion.

What is deferred action for childhood arrivals?
On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and would then be eligible for work authorization.
Individuals who can demonstrate through verifiable documentation that they meet these guidelines will be considered for deferred action. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis under the guidelines set forth in the Secretary of Homeland Security’s memorandum.

If my removal is deferred pursuant to the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals process, am I eligible for employment authorization?
Yes. Pursuant to existing regulations, if your case is deferred, you may obtain employment authorization from USCIS provided you can demonstrate an economic necessity for employment.

Does this process apply to me if I am currently in removal proceedings, have a final removal order, or have a voluntary departure order?
This process is open to any individual who can demonstrate he or she meets the guidelines for consideration, including those who have never been in removal proceedings as well as those in removal proceedings, with a final order, or with a voluntary departure order (as long as they are not in immigration detention). If you are not in immigration detention and want to affirmatively request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals, you must submit your request to USCIS – not ICE – pursuant to the procedures outlined below.

If you are currently in immigration detention and believe you meet the guidelines you should not request consideration of deferred action from USCIS but should identify yourself to your detention officer or contact the ICE Office of the Public Advocate through the Office’s hotline at 1-888-351-4024 (staffed 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday) or by email at EROPublicAdvocate@ice.dhs.gov.

Do I accrue unlawful presence if I have a pending request for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals?
You will continue to accrue unlawful presence while the request for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals is pending, unless you are under 18 years old at the time of the request. If you are under 18 years old at the time you submit your request but turn 18 while your request is pending with USCIS, you will not accrue unlawful presence while the request is pending. If your case is deferred, you will not accrue unlawful presence during the period of deferred action. Having action deferred on your case will not excuse previously accrued unlawful presence.

If my case is deferred, am I in lawful status for the period of deferral?
No. Although action on your case has been deferred and you do not accrue unlawful presence during the period of deferred action, deferred action does not confer any lawful status.

There is a significant difference between “unlawful presence” and “unlawful status.” Unlawful presence refers to a period an individual is present in the United States (1) without being admitted or paroled or (2) after the expiration of a period of stay authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (such as after the period of stay authorized by a visa has expired). Unlawful presence is relevant only with respect to determining whether the inadmissibility bars for unlawful presence, set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act at Section 212(a)(9), apply to an individual if he or she departs the United States and subsequently seeks to re-enter. (These unlawful presence bars are commonly known as the 3- and 10-Year Bars.)

The fact that you are not accruing unlawful presence does not change whether you are in lawful status while you remain in the United States. Because you lack lawful status at the time DHS defers action in your case, you remain subject to all legal restrictions and prohibitions on individuals in unlawful status.

Does deferred action provide me with a path to permanent residence status or citizenship?
No. Deferred action is a form of prosecutorial discretion that does not confer lawful permanent resident status or a path to citizenship. Only the Congress, acting through its legislative authority, can confer these rights.

Will my immediate relatives or dependents be considered for deferred action for childhood arrivals?
No. The new process is open only to those who satisfy the guidelines. As such, immediate relatives, including dependents of individuals whose cases are deferred pursuant to the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals process, may not be considered for deferred action as part of this process unless they independently satisfy the guidelines.

Can I be considered for deferred action even if I do not meet the guidelines to be considered for deferred action for childhood arrivals?
This process is only for individuals who meet the specific guidelines announced by the Secretary of Homeland Security. Other individuals may, on a case-by-case basis, request deferred action from USCIS or ICE in certain circumstances, consistent with longstanding practice.

Will the information I share in my request for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals be used for immigration enforcement purposes?
Information provided in this request is protected from disclosure to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the purpose of immigration enforcement proceedings unless the requestor meets the criteria for the issuance of a Notice To Appear or a referral to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the criteria set forth in USCIS’s Notice to Appear guidance (www.uscis.gov/NTA). Individuals whose cases are deferred pursuant to the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals process will not be referred to ICE.

The information may be shared with national security and law enforcement agencies, including ICE and CBP, for purposes other than removal, including for assistance in the consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals request, to identify or prevent fraudulent claims, for national security purposes, or for the investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense. The above information sharing policy covers family members and guardians, in addition to the requestor.

This policy, which may be modified, superseded, or rescinded at any time without notice, is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.

If my case is referred to ICE for immigration enforcement purposes or if I receive an NTA, will information related to my family members and guardians also be referred to ICE for immigration enforcement purposes?
If your case is referred to ICE for purposes of immigration enforcement or you receive an NTA, information related to your family members or guardians that is contained in your request will not be referred to ICE for purposes of immigration enforcement against family members or guardians. However, that information may be shared with national security and law enforcement agencies, including ICE and CBP, for purposes other than removal, including for assistance in the consideration of the deferred action for childhood arrivals request, to identify or prevent fraudulent claims, for national security purposes, or for the investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense.

This policy, which may be modified, superseded, or rescinded at any time without notice, is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.

Does this Administration remain committed to comprehensive immigration reform?
Yes. The Administration has consistently pressed for passage of comprehensive immigration reform, including the DREAM Act, because the President believes these steps are critical to building a 21st century immigration system that meets our nation’s economic and security needs.

Is passage of the DREAM Act still necessary in light of the new process?
Yes.The Secretary of Homeland Security’s June 15th memorandum allowing certain people to request consideration for deferred action is the most recent in a series of steps that DHS has taken to focus its enforcement resources on the removal of individuals who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety. Deferred action does not provide lawful status or a pathway to citizenship. As the President has stated, individuals who would qualify for the DREAM Act deserve certainty about their status. Only the Congress, acting through its legislative authority, can confer the certainty that comes with a pathway to permanent lawful status.
Call us for a free consultation at 718-834-0190.

B2- Visa

The B2 Visa is issued to tourists, and may also be granted to spouses, children and parents of B1 Visa holders.  Activities allowed on a B2 are any legitimate activities of a recreational character, including tourism, amusement, visits to friends and/or relatives, rest, medical treatment and activities of a social or service nature.
The B2 Visa can also be used by foreign students wishing to visit or tour U.S. schools prior to enrollment. You should make sure to inform the embassy or consulate of your intentions when you receive the B-2 Visa. You may then be able to change your status at a later time without leaving the U.S.

Documents To apply for a B2 Visa, you must supply the following documents:
. A completed visa application. (Some applicants will also be required to submit an additional form.
. Two recent photographs 1 & 1/2 inches square (37mm x 37mm) of each applicant, with the entire face visible. The picture should be taken before a light background and without head covering.
. A passport, valid for travel to the United States for at least six months longer than your intended visit.
You may also be asked to provide the following documents:
. Evidence showing the purpose of your trip. You may show a letter sent by a travel agent explaining the purpose and length of the trip. You may also show letters from relatives or friends that you intend to visit.
. If you are traveling to the U.S. for medical purposes, you should have a statement from a doctor or medical institution about your treatment.
.A copy of a tour itinerary.
. Proof of your intention to leave the U.S. after a temporary visit. Round-trip air tickets will help show intent to return to your home country.
.Proof that arrangements have been made to cover the cost of your trip. An affidavit of support may be required for children who are traveling.
. If you do not have enough funds to support yourself while in the U.S., you must provide evidence that an interested person will provide support.
. You may also provide evidence that establishes your ties with the financial sponsor.
To schedule a free in office consultation with an experienced immigration attorney at Figeroux & Associates, click here. To schedule a paid telephone consultation with an experienced immigration attorney at Figeroux & Associates click here.

K1 Visa (Fiancé or Fiancee of U.S. Citizens) Fiancee Visa Basics

A Fiancee Visa (also known as a K1 Visa) is a travel document that allows a foreign Fiancee of a U.S. Citizen to enter the United States for the sole purpose of getting married. Fiancee Visas are generally considered the quickest vehicle to legally bring a foreign fiancée to the U.S. with the intentions of marriage and immigration.

What are the necessary steps to obtain a Fiancee Visa?
There are two major steps to the Fiancee Visa process: The first step involves the filing of a Petition for the Alien Fiancee by the U.S. Citizen (also known as the "Petitioner"). This Petition is filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and must be sent to the appropriate USCIS Service Center, which is based upon the geographic residency of the U.S. Citizen.
Once the Petition has been approved by the USCIS, the second step involves the filing of the foreign fiancee visa application, including several forms and affidavits of support, the Foreign Fiancee's interview and the eventual issuance of the Fiancee Visa at his/her country's U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Once the Fiancee Visa is issued, how does it work?
The Fiancee is free to enter the United States once a valid Fiancee Visa is issued. Once the Fiancee enters the U.S., the marriage between the Petitioner and the Fiancee must take place within 90 days of the Fiancee's entry. If the Fiancee does not marry the Petitioner within 90 days, or if the Fiancee marries someone other than the Petitioner, the Fiancee must leave the United States after 90 days.

Who is eligible to file a Petition for a Fiancee Visa?
U.S. Citizens who intend to marry a foreign national in the United States may file a Petition. The U.S. Citizen and foreign Fiancee must be free to marry. This means that they are both unmarried, or that any previous marriage have ended in divorce, death, or annulment. The couple must also have met in person (at least once) within the last two years prior to the filing of the Petition.

Are Fiancee visas ever issued to couples who have not met in person?
There are extraordinary and extremely limited circumstances in which fiancee visas have been issued to couples who have never met. For example, fiancee visas may be issued under rare instances where a couple have not met in person due to certain religious or other extreme hardship cases.

Can Fiancee Visas be extended or renewed after the initial 90 days of entry if there is no marriage?
No. The Fiancee must leave the country if he/she does not marry within the 90 day period after U.S. entry. They may not re-enter the U.S. again under the same us fiancee Visa. They may, however, re-enter the U.S. after approval of a completely new Fiancee Visa/K1 Visa by starting the entire process again with the same Petitioner or a new Petitioner.

Contact at us 718-834-0190. To schedule a free in office consultation with an experienced

STUDENT VISA, F1 OR M1, WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

An alien who has a residence in a foreign country which he/she has no intention of abandoning, who wishes to come to the United States to pursue a course of study at an academic institution accredited by the USCIS, may qualify for an F-1 student visa. The alien must have a valid educational purpose for coming to the United States, and must be able to support himself or herself while in the United States without working.
The F-1 student visa applicant must have available sufficient funds and outside financial support to ensure he or she will not become a public charge or accept unauthorized employment. He or she must be proficient in English or receive training to make him or her proficient, intend to depart the United States at the conclusion of his or her studies, and be qualified to attend the particular institution. All F-1 students are given permission to be in the United States for "duration of status," that is for the period of time needed to complete the educational program plus 60 days.
At the end of the course of study a period of work authorization may be requested for the purpose of gaining experience in the field of study, known as "practical training." If qualified, the student may also change non-immigrant status to a temporary non-immigrant work visa or adjust status to a permanent resident visa.

Main Features of the F-1 Student Visa
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the F-1, academic student, visa:

• Once you’ve been accepted by a U.S. school, the application process is reasonably quick and straightforward.
• You may come to the U.S. as a full-time academic or language student enrolled in a program leading to a degree or certificate.
• You may not obtain an F visa to study at a public elementary school or a publicly funded adult education program. Nor may you obtain an F visa to study at a public secondary school unless you prepay the full cost of such program, for a maximum of one year.
• You can transfer from one school to another or switch academic programs by going through a simple procedure to notify USCIS.
• You may work legally in a part-time job on campus. Also, you may get special permission to work off campus if it is economically urgent or if the job provides practical training for your field of study.
• You may travel in and out of the U.S. or remain there until the completion of your studies.
• Visas are available for accompanying relatives, but relatives may not accept employment in the United States.

Main Features of the M-1 Student Visa

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the M-1, vocational student, visa:
• The application process is reasonably quick and straightforward.
• You may come to the U.S. as a full-time vocational or non academic student enrolled in a program leading to a degree or certificate.
• You can transfer from one school to another, but only if you apply for and receive permission from USCIS to do so. Once you are six months into the program of studies, you are prohibited from transferring except under truly exceptional circumstances.
• You are never permitted to change your course of study.
• You may not work during your studies.
• You may get permission to work for up to six months after your studies are done. The job must be considered practical training for your field of study.
• You may travel in and out of the U.S. or remain there until the completion of your studies, up to a maximum of one year. If you have not completed your program in a year or by the time your school projected, whichever is less, you must apply for an extension.
• The maximum extension allowed is three years from the original start date.
• Visas are available for accompanying relatives, although relatives may not accept employment in the United States.
Coming to the U.S. to Look for a School?
As a prospective student, you can come to the U.S. as a tourist for the purpose of locating a school you want to attend. If you do this, however, be sure to tell the consul at your B-2 visa interview that this is your intent so that he or she can make the appropriate annotation in your passport (usually “Prospective Student—school not yet selected”). Otherwise, if you later request a change of status from a visitor visa to a student visa, USCIS will presume that you committed fraud by applying for a visitor visa when you intended to come to the U.S. to study. USCIS will then refuse your application to convert to student status.
Therefore, if you enter the U.S. on a B-2 visa and do not have the annotation indicating that you are a prospective student, you will need to leave the U.S., before your authorized stay expires, so that you can apply for a student visa from your home country.

Youth Business Leadership Program

The New American Chamber of Commerce, (NACC) the African American International Chamber of Commerce (AAICC) and the New York Statewide Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (NYSCHCC) are pleased to announce our Youth Business Leadership Program (YBLP), first series, Small Business Boot Camp. Our nonprofit organizations, are aiming to develop a culture of leadership and excellence among teenagers and young adults from various sectors across New York City, by promoting entrepreneurship and civic engagement.

YBLP provides them with the knowledge, tools and opportunity to be the leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.  NACC established YBLP in 2012. YBLP strives to address the problem of economic and educational inequality in Black and Hispanic communities of New York City by means of two main frameworks:

Youth Leadership

The organization will operate several multi-cultural youth programs at our Chamber and throughout New York City in different communities, providing young Black and Hispanics with the tools from the world of business, management and entrepreneurship.  Furthermore, as members of our Chamber, we will guide these teens throughout their high school and college years, as they establish business enterprises in New York City.

Our potential partners are local chambers, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), municipalities, businesses, social organizations and other leading companies working to empower young Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs.

The Educational Process

NACC, AAICC & NYCHCC Youth Business Leadership Program - Small Business Boot Camp Series. This program is sponsored by the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. Each scholarship is worth $500.00. Thirty scholarships will be granted. If you are interested in attending, please complete the online application form. You must submit a copy of your resume also.

Donations

Donations are welcome. If you would like to contribute towards our scholarship program, please contact Ms. Phillip, at 718-771-0988 or visit www.mynacc.org to donate.

For questions or more information go to our website at www.mynacc.org or contact us at 718-771-0988 ext. 112 or by email at info@mynacc.org.

Victim of a Cyber Crime?

In the United States, like most countries, cybercrime, at the office, home or with people you trust, may lead to economic loses or personal abuse.  In the United States, most cyber crime offenses are covered by – Title 18, United States Code (USC) Section 1030 – fraud and related activity in connection with computers.  This is what the cyber criminal contravened when they logged into your account.

The Department of Justice website contains a Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section with a contact page for reporting incidents to local, state or Federal Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA).

Two Federal Law Enforcement Agencies have a remit to investigate some computer crimes:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The United States Secret Service (USSS)

As a victim you should report the crime at your FBI Local Office, or US Secret Service or Internet Crime Complaint Centre.

Remediation
Victims should change their webmail password immediately and use a robust password that can be memorized rather than one which you have to write down. Victims could also consider using password management software (examples include 1Password, LastPass or KeePass) where you only will need to remember one complicated master password.

Conclusion                                                                                      In general, it's important that all computer crime is reported. Even if no investigation follows, crime report intelligence can be built up and an accurate picture of the levels of computer crime can be produced.

If victims of a particular crime do not come forward to report incidents, then the number stated in crime reporting statistics will be not be a true reflection of the number of crimes taking place.
We have not included any corporation’s AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) that may be in place and may have been breached. Consult your employer, if the cybercrime was committed on your job.

This article is not intended to be legal advice, hire an attorney if you are a victim of a cyber crime. Article compliments of the Law Figeroux & Associates.