US to begin accepting applications for temporary work visas from young illegal immigrants

US President Barack Obama announced last week that the US will begin charging US$465 starting August 15 for temporary work permits for young illegal immigrants. Obama announced the new immigration policy back in June which requires immigrants to have arrived in the US before their 16th birthday, be 30 years old or younger, lived in the US at least five years and be in school, graduated or served in the military.

The temporary work permits are subject to renewal for two years, and while US Citizenship and Immigration Services will consider a limited number of fee exemptions, it expects costs to be covered by applicants, not US taxpayers.

Applicants are ineligible if convicted of a felony, three misdemeanors or one "significant" misdemeanor. Significant misdemeanors, as defined by Homeland Security, are any offenses that result in more than 90 days in jail, and some offenses regardless of the sentence, including domestic violence, burglary and gun and drug crimes. Minor traffic offenses, like driving without a license, will not be counted at all against applicants.

The application process will include background checks and biometric identification and may take several months to complete.

The agency said it will not use information gathered during the application process to begin deportation proceedings of applicants, with some exceptions for those applicants convicted of certain criminal offences and those who pose a threat to public safety. In addition, anyone who makes untrue statements while applying will be subject to criminal prosecution and deportation.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in United States of America. Please visit our USA page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/usa.html