Category: ESTA News

New Jersey auto insurance will raise the minimum liability insurance limit to $35,000.

As a result, insurance premiums for the 1.1 million auto insurance subscribers are expected to inevitably increase.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill that would raise the minimum limit for auto insurance companies’ liability and damages caused by uninsured drivers from $15,000 to $35,000.

The minimum compensation limit will be raised to $25,000 in 2023 and then raised to $35,000 in 2026 in stages.

The insurance industry expects the legislation will add $125 more each year to the insurance premiums of about 1.1 million New Jersey auto insurance subscribers.

Rep. Robert Earth, a Republican who has opposed the bill, called it “evil law that places a financial burden on New Jersey’s low-income, middle-class and working-class families.”

On the other hand, supporters said, “The minimum compensation limit for car insurance has been too low, so even if an accident occurs, the necessary medical expenses have not been sufficiently paid. Reform of the outdated system is necessary to protect victims of car accidents.”

However, the insurance industry believes that the average amount of claims for injuries in New Jersey is about $18,000, and that raising the minimum compensation limit to $35,000 is too much.

The law, initiated by State Senate Speaker Nick Scutari, raises the minimum amount of personal injury protection (PIP) in car insurance to $250,000, and provides compensation for medical expenses in case of a traffic accident to the personal health of the insured, not the car insurance company. The main goal was to prohibit claims to insurance companies first. (Reported on page A3 of this report on June 22)

However, during legislative discussions, criticism for causing excessive increases in insurance premiums became fierce, and eventually the policy was turned to raising the minimum limit of liability insurance.

Meanwhile, Governor Murphy also signed legislation (S-1368) requiring business owners or landlords to maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $500,000 in case of injury or death on rental properties.

In Los Angeles County, non-citizens can also apply for civil service jobs.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently voted unanimously to remove the citizenship rule from the condition of applying for county civil service positions.

The agenda, co-initiated by supervisors Hilda Solis and Supervisors Sheila Quill last year, aims to allow non-citizens to apply for Los Angeles County officials.

“LA County is a community of immigrants from all over the world,” Sollis Supervisor Board Chair said in a statement. he emphasized.

However, for some positions that require only citizenship under federal and state laws, the citizenship rule will be maintained, and the citizenship rule will still apply when recruiting police personnel, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.

As of 2018, approximately 880,000 non-citizens were living in Los Angeles County. Solis said she hopes to open new opportunities for immigrant residents who have been unable to challenge public officials because of her status.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the U.S. Immigration Services (USCIS) and immigration-related agencies, which have deepened since the COVID-19 pandemic, have worsened the backlog of procedures to the worst, requiring major reforms.

The LA Times cited the case of an Indian applicant who died of COVID-19 last year ahead of an interview for a permanent residency after waiting for more than 16 years for the door to open the door to immigration with family invitations. He pointed out that he had reached the point of dying first while waiting.

According to an analysis by the Cato Institute, an estimated 1.6 million elderly applicants die before they get approval because of the long waiting period for family invitation immigration, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The number of applications pending at USCIS, ranging from permanent residency procedures to work permits, visa applications and citizenship, has increased by one-third since the pandemic, reaching 8.6 million as of March.

In addition, the number of backlogs pending in federal immigration courts reached 1.8 million, up 25 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

In addition, the time required for work permits to be processed by the Federal Department of Labor prior to the Immigration Service’s review was previously possible within two months, but now it takes more than seven months, the LA Times reported.

Not only this. The backlog of visa procedures at US embassies abroad, which is in charge of the State Department, is also very high, so in the case of last month, cases that should have already been granted visas had not yet been scheduled for an interview. In total, it was found that there were more than 410,000 cases. This is a significant increase from the average monthly waiting list of 61,000 people before the pandemic.

The waiting period at the US embassy for a B1 or B2 visa interview, such as for travel or business, was only 17 days during the pandemic, but now averages 247 days, the Cato Research Institute analyzed.

The USCIS auditor’s office analyzed that the root cause of this situation was a combination of an increase in immigration applications, a shortage of USCIS budget and staff, and a situation in which immigration services were paralyzed during the pandemic.

In relation to this, the federal congress allocated $275 million in the budget for relieving the immigration backlog, including the expansion of immigration at the Immigration Service, in this fiscal year, but it seems unlikely that the immigration backlog will be fundamentally resolved, the newspaper pointed out.

Immigrants from Latin America and other countries who went to the United States to find a new life are dying one after another at sea and on land.

On the 28th of last month, five smugglers drowned in waters near Puerto Rico. According to the Federal Coast Guard, a smuggler forcibly disembarked illegal immigrants off the island of Mona, an uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico, and in the process, five people drowned.

The Coast Guard rescued 66 people, including 41 men and 25 women, including two minors, from a boat carrying smugglers.

In Nicaragua, Central America, a bus on a highway crashed down a cliff, killing 13 Venezuelans. According to Nicaragua police, 16 people have been killed and 47 injured in the accident that occurred the night before.

Nicaragua is a region mainly through which Venezuelans who want to go to the United States and other countries to escape the economic difficulties of their country pass.

Until last year, they used to cross the U.S.-Mexico border after flying to Mexico. However, starting this year, as Mexico requires entry visas for Venezuelans, more and more people travel by land through other Central American countries.

Some beaches in King County have been closed as more and more residents are seeking to escape the heat and enjoy swimming in lakes and beaches as the heat wave hits the Seattle area.

King County officials said a recent beach water test in the area showed that some beaches had high levels of bacteria and decided to close them for the time being until they drop again.

The beaches that were decided to be closed include Jean Coulomb Park, Green Lake East Beach, Hidden Lake, Juanita Beach, Maiden Bauer Bay Beach, and Newcastle Beach. It is a place that is often visited by families and tourists, so inconvenience and disappointment is expected.

Authorities measure bacterial concentrations in water from three different locations per park each week, average the results, and then close them down if the numbers are high.

Even if the bacteria level goes down, the water quality test will be conducted twice a week until it is determined that it is safe for residents to use it again, he said.

The sector most sensitive to currency effects is the information technology segment. 58% of its turnover is generated outside the United States. In the United States, the strength of the note is causing a stir among several multinationals. The list of plaintiffs could grow with the results of the tech giants.

What is happening in the currency market is starting to worry big American companies. Already faced with galloping inflation – which reached 9.1% in June – and an increasingly perceptible slowdown in global growth, they must now contend with the strength of the greenback.

The dollar index – which compares it to a basket of other international currencies – has been soaring since June 2021. It has already gained almost 20% in just over a year and returned to its highest level in two decades. This enabled it, among other things, to achieve parity with the euro EURUSD 0.03% at the beginning of this month.

This relatively exceptional rise is supported by two main factors. First, the dollar is considered a haven in case of shocks in the financial markets. It was, for example, strongly acclaimed in March 2020, when the health crisis caused a panic on equities.

But what triggered this new run on the dollar were monetary policy expectations. The Federal Reserve (Fed) completely changed its tune last year to fight rising prices. And unsurprisingly, this attracts foreign investors looking for yield.

Earnings Pressure

This strength of the dollar is not at all to the liking of large American companies since they make part of their turnover outside the United States. According to Morgan Stanley’s calculations, each year-over-year percentage point increase in the U.S. dollar index translates to a 0.5 percentage point drop in earnings growth for the S&P 500.

“The strength of the dollar comes at an inopportune time for companies already facing pressure on margins and increasingly weak demand,” said its analysts.

Several American multinationals have already sounded the alarm. It said last week that exchange rates slashed its revenue by 6 points of growth for the second quarter. Or 900 million dollars flown away. And to warn that the negative impact on its balance sheet could amount to 3.5 billion dollars by the end of the year.

Tech giants’ revenues under threat

The pharmaceutical group Johnson & Johnson and the video-on-demand platform Netflix also alerted. And the list is very likely to grow this week with expected results from Apple, Coca-Cola and Microsoft. According to data compiled by FactSet, about 40% of the revenues of S&P 500 companies come from abroad. The sector most sensitive to currency effects is the information technology segment. 58% of its turnover is generated outside the United States.

The question remains whether the rise of the dollar will continue over the next few months. Unlike in previous years, the authorities do not seem alarmed by the situation on the currency market, being more concerned about inflation. For its part, the greenback retreated slightly. After peaking in mid-July, the US currency recorded its worst weekly performance in nearly two months on a statistic showing a slowdown in economic activity.

Social security pensions in the United States are usually thought to be received by conscientious taxpayers who have paid their taxes, but not everyone can receive social security pensions just because they pay taxes. Eligibility for Social Security benefits depends on immigration status. We summarized how immigration status affects social pensions.

– Other than citizens and permanent residents, what kind of status do you need to have to receive a social pension?

Social Security is only available to people with lawful residency status in the United States. All you need is to maintain lawful immigration status in the United States, including those who are eligible to work in the United States, such as E-2 or H-1B.

In addition, as a spouse of a citizen, you can receive social benefits even if your immigration petition has been approved and your I-485 is pending.

– Does this mean that disabled people cannot receive social pensions?

If you do not have lawful immigration status in the United States, you cannot receive Social Security benefits. When paying taxes, you must pay social security tax regardless of your immigration status. But it’s a different story when you get Social Security in the US. Without legal status, you cannot get Social Security benefits in the United States. However, even if they do not have immigration status, Koreans can receive social pensions when they return to their home countries, thanks to the Korea-US Social Security Agreement signed in April 2001.

-Can all undocumented persons receive these benefits?

Not like that. For example, Mexico, which has the highest number of illegal immigrants by country, does not have a social security agreement with the United States. Mexican nationals are not entitled to any benefits if they return to their home country after paying taxes in the United States for decades.

The United States and Mexico drafted a social security agreement, but did not agree to ratify it, citing that Congress would be too burdensome for the United States to sign such a social security agreement with Mexico. However, Canada has a social security agreement with Mexico, so Mexicans who worked illegally in Canada and paid taxes can receive Canadian Social Security in Mexico when they return to Mexico after retirement.

Even if you give up your citizenship, you can continue to receive social benefits abroad even if you do not come to the United States if you are from a country that has a social welfare agreement with the United States. However, if a person from a country that does not have a social welfare agreement with the United States has given up his permanent residence or citizenship, he or she must return to the United States every six months from abroad and stay for one month to continue receiving social pensions.

Airplanes are one of the safest means of transportation, but there are things to keep in mind to ensure the health and safety of yourself and your fellow passengers. Airlines and airline passengers will have to comply with many regulations.

ESTA Visas

UK Nationals can apply for an ESTA (Electronic System Travel Authorization) under the Visa Waiver Program.  The ESTA allows eligible applicants to travel to or transit through the United States without having to apply for and go through a lengthy Visa application.  An approved ESTA means the passport holder can enter the US for tourism or business purposes for a total of 90 days over a 2-year period.  It is recommended that eligible applicants apply for ESTA at least 72 hours prior to their departure for the US.  ESTA applications can be made on this website.

Prepare before you fly

Passengers need to be aware of all prohibited items prior to boarding. This rule may vary slightly by airline or destination.

When flying long distances, neck pillows, eye patches and earplugs will help passengers rest better. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, masks will also be an important accessory.

Travel comfort is also extremely important. Sitting for a long time in one position on an airplane or moving a lot at the airport can make your feet sore, you should choose shoes that feel comfortable, it is best to avoid high heels.

A flight attendant advises passengers to wear closed-toe shoes. Slippers are comfortable, but the plane is a breeding ground for bacteria, so wearing sandals or slippers and not wearing socks will increase your risk of exposure to germs. A pair of sneakers, flats or high-top boots would be more appropriate.

During the flight

Passengers need to fasten their seat belts properly and properly during the flight. Seat belts are not fastened, lying loose on the lap has no effect. The reason is that pilots can brake hard during take-off and landing, or when experiencing turbulence, passengers will hit their heads against the front seats or the ceiling of the plane.

According to Kaspersky.com, the most dangerous place to fly through turbulence is the toilet. This area is narrow and has many hard objects inside, which can even be fatal if hit with enough force. Therefore, as soon as the “Return to Seat” indicator flashes, passengers should promptly leave the restroom and return to their seats, fully wearing their seat belts.

Another point to note is to turn off or limit the use of electronic devices when boarding. The prohibition on the use of electronic devices in flight is to eliminate the possibility of interference with the electronic systems on board the aircraft.

Using electronic devices, especially for long-term recording (like some recent videos on TikTok), can overheat the battery, posing a fire risk.

Upon detecting fire or smelling smoke, passengers should immediately notify the flight crew and quickly get a fire extinguisher or try to put out the fire. Airplane fires are rare but extremely dangerous, so passengers should also have firefighting knowledge, according to the Express.

Besides, electronic devices are relatively hard and heavy objects. In the event of sudden braking or air turbulence, they can slip out of hand and injure other passengers.

Passengers should avoid alcohol to ensure the ability to control behavior in a limited space.

Dressing well when traveling is a must. However, do not wear clothes that are tight or too tight, but should wear comfortable clothes, wear many layers, enough to keep warm, especially for long-haul flights. If you are more sophisticated, you can change into nice clothes at the airport, after landing.

After the Memorial Day holiday, the summer travel season has begun. To save on travel expenses that have skyrocketed due to the airline crisis and inflation, it is advantageous to postpone the schedule to the end of August and make a reservation 60 days before departure. Also, considering the recent strength of the dollar, going abroad rather than domestic may be a way to save money.

According to the US Travel Association on the 30th, 6 out of 10 Americans plan to travel this summer. This reflects the increased enthusiasm for travel due to the lifting of the pandemic. The problem is money. According to the association, this year’s summer vacation is expected to cost at least 25% and in the worst case 50% more than last year’s summer vacation. Several flights were canceled due to a serious shortage of manpower, which made ticket prices high, and various kinds of inflation caused the cost to rise.

In this regard, Christopher Elliott, manager of travel agency Elliott Confidential, said, “From airfare to various travel costs, it has risen to record levels.

Nevertheless, if you must go on a trip, the best itinerary is at the end of August. According to online travel agency Expedia, the average air ticket price in August is 5% lower than in June and 10% cheaper than in July. In particular, the two weeks at the end of August when school starts, and summer travel ends in some countries are the cheapest during the summer travel season. Since the air ticket price gets cheaper as the year goes on, if you are traveling alone or as a couple, it is better to postpone the trip than to leave during the peak season.

The timing of booking is also important if you want to save on air ticket prices. Many travelers, including Koreans, think that it will be cheaper to book air tickets early, but this is not the case. Christie Hudson, manager at Expedia, said, “If you book at about a month plus two weeks ahead of your travel date, you are more likely to get the best price. You will pay the fee.” In addition, if you have decided on a specific destination, using various flight search engines such as Skyscanner to receive price notifications will help you find the best ticket.

For Korean travelers who have considered traveling domestically and are surprised by the high cost, changing their destination abroad may be a good option. This is because spending money abroad is cheaper than spending it domestically in a situation where the dollar is strong due to the recent Federal Reserve (FRB) rate hike.

Summer Hull, manager of PointsGuy, a travel online company, said, “It is very advantageous to travel to Europe considering the weak euro.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on the 5th that the BA.

According to the US media The Hill, the CDC announced on the 2nd that as of the 2nd, BA.5 mutation accounted for 53.6% of new confirmed cases in the United States, and BA.4 accounted for 16.5%.

When the two sub-variations are combined, they account for 70% of the total.

BA.4 and BA.5 are sub-mutations derived from Omicron and have the characteristic of avoiding natural infection or immunity caused by existing vaccines.

These mutations accounted for only 1% in the United States even at the beginning of May, but on the 19th and 25th of last month they accounted for 15.7% and 36.6%, respectively, exceeding half of the total.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in the United States is increasing.

The number of daily new confirmed cases, which recorded a maximum of 800,000 in January, when the omicron mutation epidemic peaked, gradually subsided and fell to the level of 30,000 in March, then increased again from the end of April, increasing to an average of 100,000 a day from May. .

The two mutations are now rapidly spreading not only in the U.S. but also around the world, leading the COVID-19 resurgence.

On the 29th of last month, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), announced that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, led by BA.4 and BA.5, increased in 110 countries.

Infectious disease expert Celine Gunder said, “BA.4 and BA.5 are much more mutated than the existing omicron mutations, and our immune system recognizes these submutations regardless of whether we have previously been vaccinated or infected with COVID-19. I’m having a hard time with it,” he said.

For this reason, the US health authorities have requested vaccine manufacturers to develop vaccines that block BA.4 and BA.5 mutations, not the Omicron prototype virus.

However, as the prospect that this improved vaccine may not be distributed in a timely manner in the United States has emerged, concerns have grown that the pandemic could once again strike the world this fall and winter.

Gunder said that the improved vaccine would not be available until October at the earliest and advised to get a booster shot (boost) in advance if possible.

Although the new mutation of Omicron has immune-avoidance properties, the general opinion of experts is that vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the likelihood of severe illness or hospitalization.