The Harsh Doctor

You don't have to be cruel
to be callous.

A heartless entity
doesn't intend
to maim.

It just don't know better.

So you're sick,
maybe dying,

or maybe you're, well,
just getting worse.

You gotta try something.

Sometimes,
permission to try is 
more precious 
than at other times. 

Maybe now.

But too bad.

Permission is permission,
and if you don't have it,
well, just die tryin'.

Investigational drugs and devices have not yet been approved by the FDA and they have not been proven to be safe and effective. Therefore, they may be effective in the treatment of a condition, or they may not. It is important to remember that the drug/biologic/medical device may have unexpected serious side effects and that patients need to consider all the possible risks when seeking access to an investigational medical product.

The Book of Poetry Confiscated

At the border
   between countries

There is not so much 
     a wall
     as a hole

Where things fall
     out of sight
    
You can ask where
     your things went

But answers are precious
      and so rare

A book of poetry
     might fall into
     that blind hole

And in fact
      someone's poetry did
      
There is a way 
       to ask permission
        in these cases

A way to find out 
      if you can ask 
      to get your books of poetry
      back

But first you learn about
       FOIA

Agencies typically process requests in the order of receipt.  The time it takes to respond to a request will vary depending on the complexity of the request and any backlog of requests already pending at the agency.  A simple request can be processed faster by the agency than one that is complex.  Simple requests are typically more targeted and seek fewer pages of records.  Complex requests typically seek a high volume of material or require additional steps to process such as the need to search for records in multiple locations.  The agency’s FOIA Requester Service Center is available to assist you with any questions about the status of your request or any steps you can take to receive a quicker response.

The Good Immigrant

Lights go out

Sunset

Closing time

Hours and years

Youth fade

Elders dissipate

The planet rolls

Gravity absorbs

Buried in ceremonial events

Barred from view

Barricated in distance

Barriered from touch

Hope dissipates

Vision evaporates

Time withdraws

Officialdom swells 

Dust to earth

Nightfall

Bedtime

Cradles and graves

Lights go out

Here are the key steps

Sunset

They should apply for US passports

Closing time

You can learn more about priority dates

Hours and years

Fees are charged for the following services

Youth fade

For further information, please see our FAQ’s

Elders dissipate

Learn more about special immigrant categories

The planet rolls

Check the Visa Bulletin for the latest priority dates

Gravity absorbs

Learn more about National Visa Center visa case processing

Buried in ceremonial events

In some categories, you can file the I-140 petition yourself

Barred from view

The date your petition was filed is called your priority date

Barricated in distance

Once received, the NVC will assign a case number for the petition

Barriered from the touch

The filing date of a petition becomes the applicant's priority date

Hope dissipates

The United States also conducts an annual program for Diversity Visas

Vision evaporates

Immigrating to the United States is an important and complex decision

Time withdraws

Do not send payments to the NVC's address in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Officialdom swells

Immigrant visas cannot be issued until an applicant's priority date is reached

Dust to earth

After USCIS approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center NVC

Nightfall

Children born abroad after you became a US citizen may qualify for US citizenship

Bedtime

Once this is complete, then the intending immigrant will apply for the immigrant visa

Cradles and graves

NOTE If you already have an attorney, the NVC will not instruct you to complete Form DS-261

Youth fade

Note Fees must be paid for each intending immigrant, regardless of age, and are not refundable

Elders dissipate

The consular officer will determine whether your child is a US citizen and can have a passport

The planet rolls

Applicants keep the priority date of their F2B petition even if it converts to the F1 visa category

Gravity absorbs

Applicants will be provided with instructions by the NVC on where and when to pay the appropriate fees

Buried in ceremonial events

When you become a US citizen, NVC will upgrade the petition to an immediate relative IR visa category

Barred from view

NVC will forward the request to USCIS and change the visa category back to F2B upon receipt of USCIS’s approval

Barricated in distance

For an overview of the types of immigrant visas available under immigration law, please see Visa Types for Immigrants

Barriered from touch

Several immigrant visa categories that cover special types of workers or special circumstances are established by US laws

Hope dissipates

This may be beneficial because sometimes the waiting time for an F2B visa is shorter than the waiting time for an F1 visa

Vision evaporates

Applicants whose case is at a US Embassy or Consulate overseas should ask the embassy to submit a request on their behalf

Time withdraws

Because most immigrants receive visas in the family or employment based visa categories, they are a key focus of thissection

Officialdom swells

In this situation, the available immigrant visas will be issued in the chronological order in which the petitions were filed

Lights go out for cuñadas

This is because children cannot be included as “derivative applicants” on a parent’s immediate relative IR visa or petition

Sunset from cuñados

In certain heavily oversubscribed categories, there may be a waiting period of several years before a priority date is reached

Closing time for suegras

Many immigrants receive visas in the family or employment based visa categories; however there are other immigrant visa categories

Hours and years from suegros

Based on your approved petition, your spouse and minor unmarried children, younger than 21, may apply for immigrant visas with you

Youth fade from esposas

First, the USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition, I-130 Petition for Alien Relative filed by your sponsoring relative for you

Elders dissipate from esposos

Fees should not be paid to the NVC or paid at the US Embassy or Consulate where you have your visa interview unless specifically requested

The planet rolls from primas

A lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States

Gravity absorbs the primos

The consular officer will forward the request and adjudicate the visa application in the F2B category only upon receipt of USCIS’s approval

Buried in ceremonial events with padres

In these limited categories, whenever the number of qualified applicants exceeds the available immigrant visas, there will be a waiting list

Barred from view from sobrinos

This is different from the family second preference F2A petition, which allows minor childen to be included in their parent's F2A petition

Barricated in distance from tías

Regarding some of the immmigrant visa categories, United States law limits the number of visas available each year, with certain limits by country

Barriered from the touch of tía abuelas

The NVC will begin pre-processing the applicant’s case by providing the applicant and petitioner with instructions to submit the appropriate fees

Hope dissipates for tíos

The sponsor begins the immigration process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with US Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS

Vision evaporates from tío abuelos

This benefits your immigrating family members because there are no limits on the number of visas that can be issued each year in the IR categories

Time withdraws from bisabuelas

Like you, they must also fill out required application forms, obtain required civil documents, pay the required fees, and undergo medical examinations

Officialdom swells with bisabuelos

If the consular officer determines your child is not a US citizen, the child must apply for an immigrant visa if he/she wants to live in the United States

Dust to earth with bisnietas

To begin the immigration process, your sponsoring employer must file an I-140 Petition for Alien Worker with US Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS

Nightfall against bisnietos

Your relative sponsor and you, the intending immigrant, must successfully complete certain steps in the immigration process in order to come to the United States

Bedtime for hijas

Consular officers at US Embassies and Consulates will adjudicate their immigrant visa applications upon receipt of an approved I-130 or I-140 petition from USCIS

Cradles and graves for hijos

If you filed a petition for your spouse or minor children under age 21 and unmarried while you were an LPR, the visa category was family second preference F2A

Youth fade from nietas

When you naturalize and become a US citizen, you should check the Visa Bulletin to see if it would be helpful for your adult unmarried child to remain in the F2B category

Elders dissipate from nietos

A US citizen can also petition for the immigration of a foreign fiancée to be married in the United States, or an orphan adopted abroad/to be adopted in the United States

The planet rolls from hermanas

All categories of family preference immigrant visas are issued in the chronological order in which the petitions were filed until the numerical limit for the category is reached

Gravity absorbs the hermanos

Same-sex spouses of US citizens and Lawful Permanent ResidentsLPRs, along with their minor children, are now eligible for the same immigration benefits as opposite-sex spouses

Buried in ceremonial events with abuelas

However, under a federal law called the Child Status Protection Act CSPA, visa applicants can “opt out” of conversion to the F1 visa category and remain as an F2B visa applicant

Barred from vista from abuelos

In this section, you will learn about who may immigrate to the United States, the different types of immigrant visas, the required forms, and the steps in the immigrant visa process

Barricated in distance from madres

Applicants who want to opt-out of the F1 category must submit a request using these guidelines Applicants whose case is at NVC should submit requests using NVC’s online inquiry form

Barriered from touch from padres

To be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a US citizen relative, US lawful permanent resident, or a prospective employer, with a few exceptions, explained below

Esperanza dissipates from tatarabuelas

Important If the family second preference F2A petition that you filed for your spouse included your minor children, now that you are a US citizen you must file new and separate petitions for each child

Vision evaporates from tatarabuelos

After the appropriate fees are paid, the NVC will request that the applicant submit the necessary immigrant visa documents, including the Affidavit of Support, application forms, civil documents, and more

Time withdraws from tataranietas

For family preference immigrant visa cases, when an applicant’s priority date meets the most recent qualifying date, the NVC will instruct the applicant to complete Form DS-261, Choice of Address and Agent

Officialdom swells with tataranietos

For these other visa categories, the immigrant process flow chart above does not apply; therefore, select from the category webpages under More Information above to learn how to apply in these visa categories

Buried en ceremonial events

Effect on adult children If you filed a petition for your unmarried adult children age 21 or older when you were an LPR, NVC will change the visa category from family second preference F2B to family first preference F1

Barred de vista

Next, most sponsors will need to demonstrate adequate income or assets to support the intending immigrant, and accept legal responsibility for financially supporting their family member, by completing and signing a document called an Affidavit of Support

Barricated en distance

The Trudger

The poor young man left home
late and nearly too late
again this week
fleeing the exasperated progenitor yell

Don't get fired!

Minutes before the shift deadline
plus some 22 years
the apron strings are tightened
ready to work the produce section.

a last option among few in town 
or else

Get out of the house
and make something of yourself!
means don't come back.

"My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky."

Where did I hear that?
Not in Mario Odyssey
this morning.

lunch and phone time
a packaged burrito
an employee discount

       Maybe another opportunity awaits
What to do, where to start, who to ask

the uninitiated investigates
the possibilities
the opportunities

which include:
go back to work
stack those cauliflower
so they stay put.

The screen, still
in the memory of his phone
where the yawning deep obscure unknown
stares back:

"The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to follow appropriate guidelines when determining whether an activity is a business or a hobby, an activity not engaged in for profit.

In order to educate taxpayers regarding their filing obligations, this fact sheet, the eleventh in a series, explains the rules for determining if an activity qualifies as a business and what limitations apply if the activity is not a business."