India – Right To Education

Right To Education

On 1st April 2010, India joined a group of few countries in the world, with a historic law making education a fundamental right of every child coming into force. Making elementary education an entitlement for children in the 6-14 age group, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 will directly benefit children who do not go to school at present.

In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the operationalisation of the Act. For the first time, education will become a constitutional right. It is a tryst with destiny in the area of education. Children, who had either dropped out of schools or never been to any educational institution, will get elementary education as it will be binding on the part of the local and State governments to ensure that all children in the 6-14 age group get schooling. As per the Act, private educational institutions should reserve 25 per cent seats for children from the weaker sections of society. The Centre and the States have agreed to share the financial burden in the ratio of 55:45, while the Finance Commission has given Rs. 25,000 crore to the States for implementing the Act. The Centre has approved an outlay of Rs.15,000 crore for 2010-2011.

The school management committee or the local authority will identify the drop-outs or out-of-school children aged above six and admit them in classes appropriate to their age after giving special training.

My gentle request to share with everyone you know, it may benefit someone directly or indirectly who really in need…..

L1 and L2 Visa information

Introduction
The L-1 Visa is a temporary visa enabling the worker to work in the United States for up to seven
years. L visa holders are exempted from the requirement of having to establish their continued non-immigrant intent, greatly smoothing the progress of the transition to an immigrant employment based visa, leading to a “green card”.

Eligibility

L-1 visas are available to a person (and L2 to his/her family), to transfer him/her to work in the United States for an employer, who has worked abroad for 1 continuous year within past 3 years in a related business entity in a manager/executive or specialized knowledge staff capacity. The applicant must be coming to the U.S. to continue providing services for this same employer. The worker does not need to be directly employed by the sponsor. It is OK even if he/she is paid through personnel service company or an agency, or even as independent consultant, as long as the sponsor had management and control over the worker during the qualifying year.

Two types of employees may be sponsored for L1 Visa:

Manager/Executive: Generally, an executive or a manager should have supervisory responsibility for professional staff and/or for a key function, department or subdivision of the employer.
Persons in this category get an L1A visa. The initial petition will be approved for 3 years, and can be renewed twice for 2 years each for a total of 7 years.

Specialized Knowledge Staff: A person should have knowledge of the company’s management, proprietary techniques, products/services, research, systems or procedures.
Persons in this category get an L1B visa. The initial petition will be approved for 3 years, and can be renewed once for 2 years for a total of 5 years.

For each of these of types of L1 visa, on completing the maximum allowable period in L-1 status, the employee must be employed outside the United States for a minimum of one year before a new application is made for L or H status.
Please note that the times spent in L-1 status AND H status are added together and counted toward the total.

Qualifying Organization

There is no restriction on the types of business that can sponsor an L1 visa – corporations (S, C, LLC etc.),
partnerships, government-owned entities and non-profit organizations are all eligible. The sponsoring employer need not be U.S. owned or incorporated. There are four business entities in the United States that can offer employment to the alien – a parent company, a branch, a subsidiary, or an affiliate. Only if these entities are able to offer full proof that they meet the definition of a “qualifying organization” will the alien be granted temporary, nonimmigrant work status in the U.S. by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

There are four tests to determine if the U.S. and foreign entities are of the same qualifying organization:
1. that business is executed in the U.S. during the entire stay of the L-1 Visa recipient;
2. that business is transacted in another country while the L-1 Visa recipient is working in the U.S.;
3. that there is more than just an agent’s office in either the U.S. or abroad. It is really doing business;
4. that there is evidence of a systematic and continuous flow of goods or services within the context of a
structured business with a business plan. However, it is not necessary that international trade be taking
place. Therefore, it is acceptable if the company produces goods or services in the U.S. that will be used entirely within the U.S.

L1 for opening new office in the U.S.

It is possible for a manager or executive to come to the U.S. for opening a new office, provided evidence for
following are produced:
• Sufficient real estate space has been secured to operate a new office
• The beneficiary has been employed for one continuous year in the three year period preceding the filing of the petition in an executive or managerial capacity and that the proposed employment involves executive or managerial authority over the new operation; and
• The intended United States operation, within one year of the approval of the petition, will support an executive or managerial position, supported by information regarding:
o The proposed nature of the office describing the scope of the entity, its organizational structure, and its financial goals;
o The size of the United States investment;
o The financial ability of the foreign entity to remunerate the beneficiary and to commence doing business in the United States; and
o The organizational structure of the foreign entity.

Blanket L1 Petition
Organizations which have been doing business in the United States for a minimum of one year and:
• Are engaged in commercial trade or services (i.e. no charitable or non-profit organizations);
• Have at least 3 offices in the U.S. and overseas; and Have either:
o Sponsored at least 10 successful individual L1 petitions in the last 12 months;
o U.S. annual sales exceeding $25,000,000; or
o A U.S. work force of at least 1000 employees.
can include an unlimited number of qualifying foreign parents, subsidiaries, affiliates or branch offices in a ‘blanket’ petition.

L-1 Process
The filing of Form I-129[3] and the special L supplement[3] that accompanies Form I-129[3] is the first
requirement to be sent directly to the USCIS Service Center in the same jurisdiction as the place of employment.
By filing Form I-129[3], the petitioner is applying for a temporary, nonimmigrant work visa that will authorize the employee, the right to work in the United States.
It should show that the prior education and training make the applicant of significantly greater value to the national labor pool than the hiring of a U.S. citizen.
A letter from the U.S. employer describing both the applicant’s prior duties abroad and the duties to be performed in the U.S. will be necessary for the USCIS to rule that this position may not be filled by a U.S. national. This letter must also prove that both entities are themselves meeting the guidelines of a qualifying organization. Letters must be submitted by both the foreign and U.S. entities, confirming that the applicant has met the one-year in three years requirement.
The filing fee for I-129 L is $185.00. Additionally, a $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection fee must be paid. This is only for the initial petition or change of employer. Extension with same employer is not subject to this fee. In case of blanket L petition, $500 for blanket petition and $500 for each L1 employee under blanket L petition.

L2 Visa for Dependents
The petitioning company sponsors the employee for an L-1 visa for temporary employment in the U.S., but the employee’s spouse and dependent minors will receive an L-2 Visa. The spouse of an L-1 visa holder (not dependent children) can get employment authorization that allows them to work freely (high tech, grocery store or restaurant or whichever legal business they want to work in.) For more information, please see E & L Spouse Employment Authorization[4].

Parent Information from:

http://immihelp.com/visas/l1/

Links:
[1] http://immihelp.com/directory/usconsulates.jsp
[2] http://immihelp.com/gc/employment/labor/
[3] http://immihelp.com/forms/showform.do?form=i-129
[4] http://immihelp.com/immigration/employment-authorization-document.html

USA Business Visa – B1

Purpose
Business Visa (B-1) is appropriate for activities such as

Consult with business associates

Attend a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or a conference on specific dates

Settle an estate

Negotiating a contract

Participate in short-term training
This is not an all-inclusive list. You can’t get business visa to start conducting business in USA or help someone in
family business. You are not allowed to work in US while on business visa. You may get paid salary from home
country company while you stay in US on business visa, but you can not work under the supervision or under an American employer.
Documents
In addition to the documents required for visitors visa[1], business (B-1) visa seekers should also consider
taking the following documents:

Invitation letter from the US counterpart / Company with which you are going to conduct business.

Letter from your employer or company that is sending you to the U.S.

Exchanges of correspondence with U.S. purchasers, suppliers or contacts

Recent contracts, bills of lading or other documentary evidence of recent imports and exports of purchases

Any evidence of arrangements for lodging and appointments already made in the U.S. in preparation for
your trip

Incorporation documents and business license(s)

Tax statements for the last 2 years

Bank transaction statements detailing all deposits and withdrawals for the last six months. Include your
personal and company accounts, along with evidence that you have authority to draw on the company
accounts

Any copies of recent advertising brochures or publications
The above are only suggested documents. It should be noted that a visa is not assured even if you have all these documents.

Documents for H4 Visa applicant

Mandatory documents

Passport[1]

One photograph[2]

Original DS-156[3], nonimmigrant visa application form.

Original DS-157[4], supplemental nonimmigrant visa application form.

Visa Fees[5]
Application fee and service charge to be paid in advance at participating HDFC bank[6] before taking an
appointment.
Visa fee receipt issued by HDFC bank[6] with two bar code stickers to be carried to the consulate at the
time of interview.

Interview appointment letter.
Sample[7]

Copy of Notice of Action (Form I-797)[8].
Supporting documents

Photocopies of the first page, address page and last page of your current passport[1].

The original Notice of Action Form I-797[8] of the Principal Applicant.

Form I-129 of the Principal Applicant, and letter from employer that describes the relationship with the
Principal Applicant and the purpose of travel.

Photocopy of the Principal Applicant’s valid visa[9] (if applying separately).

Original marriage certificate[10] for spouse along with entire wedding photo album.
Make sure that the groom and the bride are easily identified in the photographs. It is important to have the
specific photographs showing important parts of the marriage ceremony. e.g., for Hindu marriage, putting
sindoor in bride’s “maang”, putting “mangalsutra” around bride’s neck, rounds around the fire etc.

Original birth certificate[11] for each child.

Wedding invitation card.

All 36 pages of the principal applicant’s passport (if not applying with principal applicant). If a copy of the
passport is submitted, it should be a GOOD copy and the photo must be clearly identifiable.

Copy of the principal applicant’s work experience letters.

Pay stubs from principal applicant’s current place of work and income tax return.

If your spouse is currently working in the US on an H1-B visa, please submit the pay slips for the current
calendar year and federal tax returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2s) for all the years in which he/she has been
employed in the U.S. on the H-1B visa. Submit the primary applicant’s last 6 months bank statements as
well.
Consulate will not accept documents received directly from the company by mail or fax. The applicant should bring all documents to the interview. Consulate will not make this information available to anyone and will destroy the documents after review.
You don’t really have to change your name after marriage, such as changing last name to have same as husband’s last name (or in South India, removing father’s name as last name and adding husband’s name as last name). you have changed your name after marriage, you should get it changed in your passport before applying for H4 visa. Otherwise, H4 visa will be issued in the name that appears in the passport.

H1B Visa Stamping Document Information

Documents required for H-1B visa stamp:
Once you receive the H1 approval petition original documents( I797 and from I129) from your H1 sponsoring employer you are ready for your H1 visa stamp. Following is a list of required documents for H1 visa stamping purpose.

Completed Non-immigration Visa Application Form DS-156. Separate form for each applicant.
[Form filing Guidelines-help | Sample Form DS-156]

Completed Form DS-157.

Each applicant in India taking appointment through VFS need to fill and provide DS157 irrespective of their age or gender.

Additional Questionnaire.

Application visa fee original receipt issued by HDFC bank.( If you are applying in India)

Copy of interview appointment letter which you get at the time of setting appointment with VFS.

Original H1 approval form I-797.

Offer letter from the company in USA.

Valid Passport.

Original Experience Certificates from all your previous employment’s.

All other legal papers you received with your H1 documents, like from I129.

Two photographs 2 and 2 inches square (50 mm square) for each applicant, showing full face, without head covering, against a light background. To be used in the application Form.

US consulates are very particular about the Photographs specification.

Must follow these guidelines for photographs.

Check out the Guidelines for Photographs required for US visa.

Demand draft for visa issuance Fee.

Latest resume.

All your Original Degree Certificates.

For current visa fees rate, and payment details please visit – Current Visa Fee?

FAQ:

What if consulate hold my case under Section 221(g)?

If your visa was not issued under Section 221(g) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, it means that your case requires further administrative action. It is not a pure refusal it means that it is on hold.

The consular officer will return you your passport .You may return to the Consulate on any working day with the required additional documents. Please follow the instructions that were given to you in form 221g . The application fee paid to schedule the initial interview remains valid for the subsequent interview up to one year from date of payment.

Indian passport in USA

If you hold an Indian passport , which is full, expired or expiring soon, you may need to apply for a passport reissue/ renewal. In this case, you will require a new passport or validity extension.
To apply for reissuance, you need to fill up a new passport application form.

New passport can be reissued for 10 years.For minors (under 18 Years of age) it’s 5years.

What is required?
Fill up a new passport application form.
4 photographs ( color, front facing, 2″ X 2″)
Copy of Green Card or Employment Authorization card or copy of legal status in the US such as H1B/ B1/ B2 Visa, etc.
Original passport.
Fee. ($40 for 10 years). More details
A letter to consulate requesting the New Passport.

Extending the validity? or Renewal of existing passport?
Normally all passports have a limit of 10 years or 20 years. In case you are holding a short validity Passport, you might apply for the extension of its validity. The validity of an Indian Passport can be extended up to 10 years from the date of its original issue.

The requirements for this are:

A completed Renewal application form for “Renewal of Indian Passport”.
Fee of $16.00.
Your original passport, and proof of your presence in US.

Where and how to apply?
Application can be submitted either personally or via mail.

If sending by mail use Certified/Registered/overnight mail. Also include a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid overnight express mail envelope. Fee can be send through money orders, bank drafts or cashier checks (by Mail) drawn in favor of Consulate General of India. (specify the name of the Embassy or Consulate applicable).

If applying in person, then the fee can be paid in cash at the counter of the Embassy/Consulate.

Following are the Indian Consulates, Embassy offices in US, where you can go and renew your passport.

Embassy/Consulates : Embassy Of India, Washington DC
Address/Contact information : 2536 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 939-9806 Fax: (202) 797-4693
Consular Jurisdiction : Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South- Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC.

Embassy/Consulates : Consulate General Of India, New York
Address/Contact information : 3 East, 64th Street, New York, NY 10021,USA
Tel : 212-774-0600 Fax : 212-861-3788
Consular Jurisdiction : Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virgin Islands.

Embassy/Consulates : Consulate General Of India, Chicago
Address/Contact information : 455 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, #850 Chicago, IL 60611, U.S.A.,
Tel(312) 595-0405 , Email: info@indianconsulate.com
Consular Jurisdiction : Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

Embassy/Consulates : Consulate General Of India, Houston
Address/Contact information : 1990 Post Oak Blvd. Suite 600 Houston, TX 77056 Tel: (713) 626-2355 Fax: (713) 626-2450,
Email :cgi-hou@accesscomm.net
Consular Jurisdiction : Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas.

Consulate General of India, San Francisco 540 Arguello Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94118 Tel: (415) 668-0662 | Fax: (415) 668-7968 Email: Info@IndianConsulate-sf.org
Consular Jurisdiction : Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

What to do if, Lost/ Damaged the passport?
The following documents are required to be submitted along with New Passport Application form for a duplicate Passport:

A letter explaining, how the passport was lost or damaged.
Police report about the loss of Passport.
6 photographs (color, front facing, 2″ X 2″). One photograph to be pasted on the application and notarized.
Six copies of the “Personal Particulars Pro forma”. Downloadable from the Embassy/Consulate.
Letter from School/ College (if you are a student).
Copy of previous (lost) Passport.
School/ Birth certificate.
Copies of Driver license/ employer s letter (as applicable).
Copies of Green card/ Employment authorization as applicable (the original will have to be produced at the Consulate/ Embassy, if demanded).
Copy of Bank certificate/ Insurance policy  as a proof of stay in USA from the date indicated in your application.
Fee of $125.

Important Toll Free Phone Number List for India

Blood Bank 1910
Women in Distress 1020
CATS 1099
eye bank helpline 1919
Child Labour complaint Old age help line anti courreption Help Line 1098
Heart Attack 1050
Heart Brigade 1051
Police 100
Fire brigade 101
Accidents 102
AIDS Control Centre 1097
Local Assistance 199

Airlines Toll Free Phone Numbers :
Indian Airlines 1800 180 1407
Jet Airways 1800 22 5522
SpiceJet 1800 180 3333
Air India 1800 22 7722
KingFisher 1800 180 0101

Banks Toll Free Phone Numbers :
ABN AMRO 1800 11 2224
Canara Bank 1800 44 6000
Citibank 1800 44 2265
Corporatin Bank 1800 443 555
Development Credit Bank 1800 22 5769
HDFC Bank 1800 227 227
ICICI Bank 1800 333 499
ICICI Bank NRI 1800 22 4848
IDBI Bank 1800 11 6999
Indian Bank 1800 425 1400
ING Vysya 1800 44 9900
Kotak Mahindra Bank 1800 22 6022
Lord Krishna Bank 1800 11 2300
Punjab National Bank 1800 122 222
State Bank of India 1800 44 1955
Syndicate Bank 1800 44 6655

Couriers/Packers & Movers Toll Free Phone Numbers :
ABT Courier 1800 44 8585
AFL Wizz 1800 22 9696
Agarwal Packers & Movers 1800 11 4321
Associated Packers P Ltd 1800 21 4560
DHL 1800 111 345
FedEx 1800 22 6161
Goel Packers & Movers 1800 11 3456
UPS 1800 22 7171

Healthcare Toll Free Phone Numbers :
Best on Health 1800 11 8899
Dr Batras 1800 11 6767
GlaxoSmithKline 1800 22 8797
Johnson & Johnson 1800 22 8111
Kaya Skin Clinic 1800 22 5292
LifeCell 1800 44 5323
Manmar Technologies 1800 33 4420
Pfizer 1800 442 442
Roche Accu- Chek 1800 11 45 46
Rudraksha 1800 21 4708
Varilux Lenses 1800 44 8383
VLCC 1800 33 1262

Insurance Toll Free Phone Numbers :
AMP Sanmar 1800 44 2200
Aviva 1800 33 2244
Bajaj Allianz 1800 22 5858
Chola MS General Insurance 1800 44 5544
HDFC Standard Life 1800 227 227
LIC 1800 33 4433
Max New York Life 1800 33 5577
Royal Sundaram 1800 33 8899
SBI Life Insurance 1800 22 9090

Indian Railways :
Indian Railway General Enquiry 131
Indian Railway Central Enquiry 131
Indian Railway Reservation 131,132
Indian Railway Railway Reservation Enquiry 1345,1335,1330
Indian Railway Centralised Railway Enquiry 1330/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9
IVRS (English) 1361
IVRS (Hindi) 1362

Passport Office

Goverment of India Passport & visa information: http://passport.gov.in/

Gujarat Passport Office weblink : http://passport.guj.nic.in/

Passport Status Inquiry : http://passport.guj.nic.in/enquiry.aspx

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation

AMC Website

AMC Complain Link

AMC Property Tax Information

AMC Professional Tax Information

AMC Vehicle Tax Information

AMC approved Building Plan detail

AMC new Tender List

AMC Recruitement

Emergency telephone number – India

Emergency Services in India
Police: 100;
Fire: 101;
Ambulance: 102;
CATS: 1099;
AIDS Control Centre: 1097;
Child Care: 1098;
Blood Banks: AIIMS – 26561123; Bajaj Blood Bank – 25729849; Sunil Blood Bank – 24697646;
Cooking Gas Leakage: 23543807; 22968667; 26174488; 26175544; 254116328;
Weather: 24611322;
Electricity: 1911