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The Emerald Isle Immigration Center's highly qualified staff assists clients in many aspects of immigrant life and law. The EIIC prides itself on the extraordinary services it provides.

Undocumented men required to register for Selective Service

ATTENTION, UNDOCUMENTED MALES & IMMIGRANT SERVICING GROUPS!

Selective Service does not collect any information which would indicate whether or not you are undocumented. You want to protect yourself for future U.S. citizenship and other government benefits and programs by registering with Selective Service. Do it today.

If you are a man ages 18 through 25 and living in the U.S., then you must register with Selective Service. It’s the law. According to law, a man must register with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18th birthday. Selective Service will accept late registrations but not after a man has reached age 26. You may be denied benefits or a job if you have not registered. You can register at any U.S. Post Office and do not need a social security number.When you do obtain a social security number, let Selective Service know. Provide a copy of your new social security number card; being sure to include your complete name, date of birth, Selective Service registration number, and current mailing address; and mail to the Selective Service System, P.O. Box 94636, Palatine, IL 60094-4636.

If you have a social security number, you can register online (click here). It’s quick and easy.

See www.sss.gov

Beware of Diversity Visa Lottery Scams

The Department of State, Office of Visa Services, advises the public of a notable increase in fraudulent emails and letters sent to Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program (Visa Lottery) applicants. The scammers behind these fraudulent emails and letters are posing as the U.S. government in an attempt to extract payment from DV applicants. All applicants should be familiar with information about DV scams provided by the Federal Trade Commission. Applicants are encouraged to review the rules and procedures for the DV program so that you know what to expect, when to expect it, and from whom.

Finally, remember that all DV-2012 applicants will not receive a notification letter from the U.S. government but must check their status online. DV Entry Status Check  will only be provided through the Department of State secure online site, http://www.dvlottery.state.gov.

See the official U.S. State Department website for more information

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html

Taxes and Immigration, Public Seminars

The Tax Deadline is APRIL 18, 2011

All immigrants residing and working in the United States are generally required by law to file income taxes every year, which are due around mid-April. Besides the legal requirement, there are other good reasons to file income tax returns, including eligibility for citizenship and other immigration benefits and potential tax refunds, credits or exemptions.

Lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, must demonstrate that they have complied with the tax laws to apply for US citizenship and to maintain their permanent resident status. To become an American citizen, they will have to show evidence that they have filed taxes during the five years prior to their application for naturalization or proof that they were not required to file a tax return. Failure to file a required tax return may be considered an act of bad moral character which is a temporary bar to attaining U.S. citizenship.

Undocumented immigrants living and working in the United States are also required to file an income tax return to report their earnings here. They must apply for and use an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) in place of a Social Security number to file a tax return and report income. An ITIN is a nine-digit number issued to people who are not eligible for a Social Security number. It does not authorize someone to work in the United States. An ITIN is used only for record keeping purposes and for filing taxes. One must complete a W-7 form and file it with their first tax return to get an tax identification number. Afterwards, the ITIN may be used to file future returns and also for opening a bank account, taking out a mortgage or for other financial transactions.

For the 2010 tax year, a single individual under 65 must generally file a tax return if his or her income was above $9,450 as a regular employee. Individuals who are independent contractors, including those who are self-employed or whose employer does not report their income to the IRS, are required to file a tax return if they earned more than $400 last year. Those who do file a tax return may be eligible for a tax refund if taxes have already been deducted from their salary, may be eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit or exemptions for dependents.

The IRS does not currently share any information from taxpayers with other government agencies due to privacy provisions in the tax laws. It is also not in the IRS’s tax collection interest to disclose any information to the immigration authorities, since it will discourage those who are undocumented from filing tax returns.

It is in the best interest of undocumented immigrants to file their taxes in anticipation of a legalization program or other immigration reform. Tax filing may be used as evidence of physical presence in the United States and also demonstrates good moral character. Each may be a requirement towards a path to citizenship under new legislation.

NOTE: THE CENTER WILL BE HOSTING FREE PUBLIC INFORMATION SEMINARS AT OUR WOODSIDE AND WOODLAWN OFFICES ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9th  AND THURSDAY, MARCH 10th , RESPECTIVELY, FROM 6-8pm.

OUR IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, IMMIGRATION COUNSELOR AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTANTS WILL BE ATTENDING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ON GENERAL IMMIGRATION AND TAXES.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CALL THE WOODLAWN OFFICE AT 718-324-3039 OR THE WOODSIDE OFFICE AT 718-478-5502.

EIIC Public Tax and Immigration Seminars Flyer

Mayo Society to honor EIIC’s Noreen Lydon O’Donoghue

Mayo Society Of New York

48-45 63rd Street • Woodside, New York 11377

132nd Annual St. Patrick’s Ball
to be held on
Saturday, March 12, 2011

Antun’s, 96-43 Springfield Boulevard • Queens Village, N.Y. 11429

Honorees
Fr. Tom Basquel, Aughagower, Co. Mayo
Noreen Lydon O’Donoghue, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo

January 23, 2011

The Mayo Society of New York will pay tribute to two outstanding Mayo people at our society’s 132nd Annual St. Patrick’s Ball on March 12, 2011. Noreen Lydon O’Donoghue will be honored as our Mayo Woman of the Year and Thomas Basquel, C.S.Sp. as our Mayo Man of the year. This event will take place at Antun’s, 96-43 Springfield Blvd, Queens Village, NY. Cocktails are at 7.00pm followed by dinner and dancing at 8.00pm. Noel Henry’s Irish Show Band featuring vocalist Kevin Prendergast will provide the music for this evening’s celebrations.


Noreen Lydon O’Donoghue, A native of Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, Noreen arrived in New York City in 1963, and began a long career of community service benefiting friends and strangers both far and near. Noreen combines hands-on service with leadership and lobbying. She founded the Woodlawn chapter of The Irish Immigration Reform Movement in 1987, and is a co-founder and now Executive Board member of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s (EIIC) in 1988 Woodside, Queens, And the Woodlawn office in 1993. She takes great pride in their success in providing a wide range of services to the community. Her commitment to the Irish-American community is evident, not only through her work with the EIIC, but with her membership in The Mayo Society of New York, The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Tarrytown, Div 11; her participation in The American-Irish Association of Westchester, Make-a- Wish Foundation: her passion for set dancing, traditional Irish music, instruction in the Irish language, in which she is fluent.

Thomas Basquel, C.S.Sp. The son of Michael and Kathleen Basquel, Tom is from Aughagower, near Westport in County Mayo. One of nine brothers and four sisters, Tom entered the Holy Ghost Congregation after high school. As part of his preparation for the priesthood, Tom spent two years in Nairobi, Kenya where he returned after his ordination in 1976 at St Patrick’s Church in Aughagower. According to legend, the last person to be ordained there was St Patrick! Tom held several positions in London and Dublin before heading to New York in 1996. Tom moved to the Brooklyn diocesan after a year and became a participant in the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, attending meetings in Washington, Philadelphia, the Bronx and Woodside. In 2001, Bishop Daly asked the Holy Ghost Fathers to take over St. Mary’s Parish in Woodside, and appointed Fr. Tom as Parochial Vicar. He immediately embraced the Irish community, celebrating all milestones of life. In 2006, Tom was appointed Superior and Provincial Delegate of the Irish Holy Ghost Fathers in America. He now visits eight states, checking on the wellbeing of all his confreres.

Tickets are $85 per person or a table of ten for $850.
For reservations, please contact Rita Lydon Lenz, 718-565-9251.

For additional information, please contact Journal Co-Chairs:
Mary Lydon at 718-728-7924
or Jim Lombard at 646-263-1733.

Rita Lydon-Lenz & Michael S. Regan Mary P. Coyne
Dinner Dance Co-Chairs President