Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar

Interesting read for legal heirs, NRI's and Resident Indians alike, why do they have to file two Income Tax Returns - one for the Deceased and one for "The Estate of the Deceased" for the assessment year when an individual passes away/dies. Also, "The Estate of the Deceased" must file tax returns for all assessment years till it distributes all assets to lawful owners in compliance with law.

Happy New Year to all Facebook friends. This is first blog for the year 2021 which brings important information for legal heirs who are undergoing process for distribution/transfer of asset of the deceased to lawful owners. Obtaining PAN for the Estate of the Deceased is mandatory and first step to initiate the process.

This blog talks about powerful tool for legal heirs to seek full and accurate accounting of financial activities of assets of the deceased from legal representative (Executor/Administrator) of the estate. LR has powers, but he/she is fiduciary and is governed by applicable laws. Good read.

This blog is my effort to bring vital information for consideration of all NRI's regarding their inheritance rights in India, especially, how to claim and how to defend. It is a set process with built-in safeguards and protections to provide justice to all legal heirs, male and female alike.

Let's plan on having basic Estate Planning and Health Care Proxy in place.

Wishing all Clients and their family members Happy and Prosperous New Year

Re-Issuance of OCI card for some is mandatory upon issuance of new passport. The Government of India would not permit OCI card holders to travel to India after June 30, 2020 if not in possession of re issued OCI when required.

Diversity Visa (Green Card) Lottery- Last day November 5, 2019

Electronic Filing of form I-130, "Petition for Alien Relative" begins

Registration of Applications for DV Lottery (Green Card) begins Oct 2, 2019

Interesting read about inheritance rights of legal heirs, built in protections and avenues to exert rights. https://www.attorneypawar.com//Inheritance-Transfer-When-W

Inheritance is a right of all heirs, male and female alike. "Judicial Settlement of Estate" is a process for transfer by court order. Interesting read.

Thanks for support, liking and sharing my blog - Part I of "Transfer of Inherited Assets in India". Part II brings process of transferring inheritance by mutual settlement. Please share and forward this information with your friends and acquaintances. Looking forward to bringing Part III - Court Process for Transfer of Inherited Assets.

This is Part II of "Roadmap of Transfer of Inherited Assets in India", describing Settlement of Estate and Transfer of Asset by mutual agreement of heirs.

Proud to be part of celebration of Hindu Temple of Rochester 2018 Health Awareness Event with fun Garba Workout followed by health talk on "Preventive Care for Adults" and "Managing Blood Pressure with DASH Diet".

Sharing information with NRI's about inheritance rights and transfer of inherited properties in India

Interesting and must know info regarding rights of survivor of Joint Bank Account in India. Is survivor sole owner of funds in Joint Bank Account on the date of death of one account holder? Is he/she withdrawing funds as trustee for legal heirs? The survivor of Joint Bank Account is just a care taker of funds, not the sole owner. Funds belong to legal heirs of the deceased. Any use of such funds for personal use subject survivor of Joint Bank Account to civil as well as criminal liability from the date of breach of trust.

Important info about Document Authentication and Embassy Legalization for International Legal Use

"Deg Teg Fateh" interviewing Santosh K. Pawar on"Marriage Immigration Fraud, Consquences, and Penalties"

Live interview of Santosh K. Pawar, by "Deg Teg Fateh"

We have just launched our new website! Visit www.attorneypawar.com for consultations and scheduling information, immigration and NRI services offered, and watch out for our upcoming blog featuring vital new policies you should know about.

Should I get Aadhaaar Card or not? Who are eligible to apply for Aadhaar? No Confusion. Please note that you are entitled to Aadhaar Card only if you have resided in India for a period or periods amounting in all to 182 days or more in the last 12 months. If not, do not get Aadhaar Card. The Aadhaar Act, 2016 states, "Every resident shall be entitled to obtain an aadhaar number by submitting his demographic information and biometric information by undergoing the process of... enrollment." The Act further defines residency as, "An individual who has resided in India for a period or periods amounting in all to 182 days or more in the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment." No Confusion. Count 182 days during last 365 days.

Sample Declaration to be sent to NRI's bank accounts to avoid account being inoperative. Deadline is December 31, 2017.

Linking of Aadhar Card with Pan Card Not required for NRI’s/OCI’s/ people above the age of 80. Many NRI’s and OCI’s living outside India received emails or text messages from their banks in India that they must link their Aadhar Card, unique 16 digit number, with Pan numbers before December 31, 2017. A Pan number is issued by the Income Tax Department, whereas Aadhar Card is produced by UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). ... Please note that NRI’s and OCI’s, who do not live in India, and people above the age of 80 are exempted from this requirement.

Update - Diversity Visa Lottery New full entry period for online filing of Diversity visa Lottery begins at noon on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 and ends at noon on November 22, 2017. Only entries submitted during this period will be accepted and considered for selection in lottery. Entry requires info about full name, address, date and place of birth, names and date of birth of spouses and all children and upload of digital pictures of principal applicant and all family members.

Registration for DV-2019 (Green Card) Lottery began today at noon.

DV (Green Card)-2019 Lottery Registration begins - Oct 3, 2017-Nov 7, 2017 U.S. Department of State begins registration of applicants f or Diversity Visa Green Card Lottery for the year 2019. The period of registration is Tuesday, October 3, 2017, noon to Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Winners shall be allowed to immigrate to United States, along with spouse and all Children under the age of 21 at the time of filing. Children include natural born, step as well as legally ado...pted. To qualify, an applicant must have: 1. born in qualifying country; and 2. must have either High School Education, OR at least two years of work experience during the last 5 years in qualifying occupations. If applicant is not born in qualifying country, he/she can still apply, if his/her spouse is born in qualifying country, is eligible to immigrate and enters US along with principal applicant. If applicant is not born in qualifying country, he/she can still apply, if his/her parent is born in qualifying country, and neither parent was born or a resident of applicant’s country of birth at the time of his/her birth. List of Qualifying Countries: All countries, EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES, are qualified: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland only), Columbia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland), and Vietnam How to Register? Applicants must electronically submit his/her entry online at dvlottery.state.gov, along with digital photo (taken within the last six months) of applicant, his/her spouse, and all children. For assistance in proper filing, please contact Law Office of Santosh K. Pawar at [email protected] and/or (585) 264-1649.

Interesting article.

Santosh Pawar with Hon. Walter H. Ruehle, Immigration Judge, Buffalo, NY

USCIS Permanent Resident (Green Card) replacement filing on a mobile device.

U.S. Naturalization process has an important component, known as U.S. History and Government Test. USCIS makes it easier for applicants to learn, practice, and prepare themselves for citizenship/naturalization interview. Check this study tool to prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test.

Celebrate World Refugee Day. No one leaves home unless/home is the mouth of a shark. Rightly said by British Somali poet Warsan Shire. Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar has assisted many refugees/asylees during the last 25 years.

Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar supports HTOR 2017 Health Awareness Event on Jun 3, 2017. Thanks Amy and Melanie for bringing 45 min Masala Bhangra workout. Thanks Dr. Jyothsna Ponnuri and Manisha Srivastava for upcoming presentations on "Diabetes Awareness, Management & Diabetic Friendly Diet Guidelines". Please join this fun an informative event.

USCIS reaches the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2018 today.

Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar - Our Immigration Law Group

Important Information regarding Reporting of Foreign Gifts & Inheritance/Bequests to the IRS and filing of IRS form 3520. Must Read.

Immigrants are backbone of U.S economy and future of US competitiveness. Support Immigration reforms to strengthen our country.

Info regarding mandatory Reporting of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, when amount in foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 during the year. All U.S. Citizens, Green Card holders, entities organized under the laws of USA must comply.

Merger of PIO and OCI Cards Last Date for Application for Conversion (no-charge) extended till June 30, 2017. For overview of Overseas Citizenship of India and process, please click the link below.

Thanks friends for reaching to my latest post (1,001 people reached) on Gender-based Inheritance inequality in India. It is my small attempt to make readers aware of legal process for transfer of property of our deceased loved ones. All legal heirs, male and female alike, must familiarize themselves before letting anyone take their rights away. The fact remains - if there is a Will, the property transfers in accordance with Will, only after Will, a legal document, is established and proven in the court of law. If proven not valid, transfer occurs in accordance with Hindu Succession Act.

Law Office of Santosh K. Santosh Pawar

Hello everyone - I recently wrote an article encompassing my thoughts around gender-based inheritance inequality in India. It touches upon the impact of this on the modern generation, a topic that I'm passionate about... I would love for you to have a read!

USCIS Fee Changes take Effect

GREEN CARD (LPR STATUS) FOR WIDOW OR WIDOWER OF A U.S. CITIZEN How could widow or widower of U.S. Citizen obtain lawful permanent resident status in U.S.? This question comes up quite often. If someone was married to a U.S. Citizen who is now deceased but was a U.S. Citizen at the time of his death, the person may self-petition for immigrant visa, whether in U.S. or outside U.S. ... Is there a time limit? Yes. Must file within two years of spouse’s death. Must not be legally separated from U.S. citizen spouse at the time of his or her death, and not remarried. For more information and legal assistance, you may email at [email protected]

DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY 2018 The registration period for United States Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Lottery Program (green card) ends on November 7, 2016 at noon. The U.S. Department of State website for the submission of E-DV entries is www.dvlottery.state.gov. If you are native of eligible countries, have high school or equivalent education or two years of work experience as specified, you may file for DV Lottery 2018. ... If need assistance, please contact [email protected]. .

http://m.rediff.com//achievers-leila-seth-de/20150618.htm

U.S. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR TEXAS V. UNITED STATES The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it will hear Texas v. United States, the lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of expanded DACA and DAPA. Announced by President Obama in November of 2014, these programs would allow millions of undocumented individuals to remain in the United States without fear of deportation and apply for a temporary work permit. Because of the litigation, DAPA (Deferred Action for Paren...ts of Americans) and expanded DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) have been on hold since their inception. We are thrilled that the Court decided to hear Texas v. U.S., as it preserves the very real possibility that expanded DACA and DAPA will become available to qualified applicants later this year, said Sally Kinoshita, Deputy Director of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, which leads Ready California, a statewide collaborative working to ensure that the maximum number of eligible Californians benefit from DACA and DAPA. These programs would improve the lives of over five million people nationwide 1.5 million in California alone by allowing them to continue building their lives and contributing to their communities without living in fear and uncertainty. Today’s decision brings us one step closer to providing protections that keep families together and strengthen our communities, and that is truly good news. Now that the Court has decided to hear Texas v. U.S., DAPA and expanded DACA could become available to qualified applicants later this year. However, as the programs remain currently on hold, Ready California is advising families of a number of steps they can take now to prepare and protect themselves, including: obtaining screenings from qualified legal service providers to check eligibility for DACA and other immigration relief options; avoiding fraudulent service providers; applying for citizenship if eligible; applying for a driver’s license under California’s AB 60; and enrolling undocumented children in Medi-Cal.

JANUARY 2016 VISA BULLETIN UPDATE The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced Visa Bulletin for January 2016, which moved priority dates for India as follows: Spouses and unmarried minor children (Application Final Action Dates) - August 1, 2014, brothers and sisters - April 22, 2003, EB2 to Feb 1, 2008 and EB3 to May 15, 2004.

OPENING OF NORTH CAROLINA LOCATION OF LAW FIRM OF SANTOSH K. PAWAR Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar - Our Immigration Law Group, is pleased to announce opening of its North Carolina location, Our Immigration Law Group of NC, at 7436 Silver View Lane, Raleigh, NC 27613. Anu Agrawal, immigration Legal Assistant, shall manage North Carolina office. Anu is an experienced certified Paralegal Professional and has many years of paral legal experience in U.S. Immigration & Nationali...ty Law. Our Immigration Law Group has a U.S. Immigration Attorney, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and Immigration Legal Assistant. It was established in 1993. It has recently collaborated to assist in Canadian Immigration matters as well. U.S. Immigration expert team focuses on temporary fiance(e), Business and Tourist visitor, work (E, H, L, O, P, I, TN/TD), student visas, Immigration (family-based as well as Employment-based), Citizenship, Appeals, Deportation Defense as well as Federal Immigration Litigation matters. Canadian Immigration expert team concentrates on Permanent Immigration - Skilled Immigration, Provincial Nominee Program, Business Immigration, and Family Class Sponsorship, Work Permits, Visitor Visas and study Permits. Our services also include Consular Services for India, espcially preparation and Attestation of Power of Attorneys/Affidavits relating to property or financial matters, Will, etc., OCI cards, E-tourist visas, and passports. Please visit our website www.attorneypawar.com.

2017 DIVERSITY VISA PROGRAM U.S. Department of State has begun accepting applications for 2017 Diversity Visa Program. Last date for filing is November 3, 2015 noon. If you or your spouse are born in one of the qualifying countries AND have at least a high school education or its equivalent OR two years of work experience within the past five years, you are eligible. All Countries are eligible EXCEPT Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Re...public, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible. For further information and/or assistance in obtaining relief, please contact Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar, 65 Eaglewood Circle, Pittsford, NY 14534. Email: [email protected]. Phone number (585) 264-1649.

IMMIGRATION RELIEF FOR UNDOCUMENTED PARENTS OF U.S.CITIZENS AND LPR’S President Obama’s executive action on November 20, 2014 creates new immigration program for undocumented parents with U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident Children. Under this new program, undocumented parents of U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Resident children have been granted temporary protection against Removal from United States. They will also be eligible to get Work authorizations. ... Eligibility Requirements for Deferred Action for Applicant Parent: 1. Must be parent of U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident son or daughter; 2. Must have resided in the US since January 1, 2010; and 3. Must not be in lawful status on November 20, 2014. The fee for work permit and biometrics is currently $465.00. The application period will begin in spring of 2015. The Deferred Action Process Deferred action uses a process referred to as ‘prosecutorial discretion ‘. Using prosecutorial discretion, immigration authorities may stop deportation proceedings against eligible undocumented parents of U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident sons or daughter. Undocumented parents U.S. Citizen or LPR sons or daughter, who were never in removal proceedings may directly apply with the USCIS for deferred action. Those who are in removal proceedings may request a review of their case by the ICE officials. This category also includes those whose cases were already considered by ICE for prosecutorial discretion but not approved. Undocumented Parents who were issued removal orders before the announcement on November 20, 2014 may file for deferred action and ask that they not be put in removal proceedings. For further information and/or assistance in obtaining relief, please contact Law Firm of Santosh K. Pawar, 65 Eaglewood Circle, Pittsford, NY 14534. Email: [email protected]. Phone number (585) 264-1649.

DIVERSITY VISA (GREEN CARD) "LOTTERY" PROGRAM (OCTOBER 1, 2013 TO NOVEMBER 2, 2013) U.S. Department of State has begun accepting entry forms for Green Card Lo...ttery (Diversity Visa). The Applications must be filed between October 1, 2013 and November 2, 2013. All countries, EXCEPT the following countries qualify: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. If you, your spouse, or your parents (in some cases) are born in qualifying countries and have at least 12 years of schooling or two years of work experience, you may be eligible to file for Green Card Lottery.

The Department of Homeland Security anounces Deferred Action Process (immunity to deportation) for young people who came to the United States illegally as children. The policy, effective immediately, will apply to people: who are currently under 30 years old, who arrived in the country before they turned 16, ... have lived in U.S. for five years, have no criminal record, and and have earned a high school diploma, remained in school or served in the military. Contact us at [email protected] or call (585) 264-1649

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap of 65,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2013. Yesterday, June 11, 2012, was the final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions requesting an employment start date in FY 2013.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched the first phase of its electronic immigration benefits system, known as USCIS ELIS. It allows filing applications and paying fees online, shorter processing times, and the ability to update user profiles, receive notices, and respond to requests electronically. Visit www.uscis.gov/uscis-elis to take a tour of the new system, learn about eligibility and the benefits of using USCIS ELIS, and find frequently asked questions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has established an expedited process for reviewing and correcting decisions resulting from certain administrative errors. This process enables customers to request an expedited review of their case and correction of the decision where data entry and/or an administrative error resulted in a denial or rejection of their petition or application. For details, email at [email protected]

Flash News - R-1 Visa Holders Now Eligible to Recapture Time Spent Outside U.S. During R-1 Validity Period: USCIS issued Policy Memorandum for USCIS officers for adjudication of R-1 nonimmigrant petitions seeking recapture benefits. R-1 nonimmigrant visa is granted to foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely to work as as a minister or in a qualifying religious occupation or vocation. It is granted for a period not to exceed five years. After spendi...ng 5-years on R-1 Visa, foreign national is required to reside abroad and physically present outside United States for at least one year, before he is eligible for R-1 visa for another 5-years. As Per the present memo, Foreign National will be eligible to recapture time he/she spends outside United States, for any purpose, personal or professional. For further information on this issue or any other immigration issue, you may contact us at (585) 264-1649 or send email at [email protected].

Flash News - H-1B Visa for Fiscal Year 2013: USCIS will start accepting Petitions for H-1B Visa for Fiscal Year 2013 from Monday, April 2, 2012. H-1B Visa is a nonimmigrant Worker Visa granted to enable a foreign national to work in the U.S. in a specialty occupation (generally one which requires a bachelor’s degree or higher) or as a fashion model. Filing of H-1B Visa Petition requires obtaining Labor Condition Application from Department of Labor. ... Contact Immigration Attorney immediately to comply with regulations and file on time. We can assist. You may contact us at (585) 264-1649 or send email [email protected]