saimrathi
07-11 10:13 PM
I think there is a concern here.. please dont undermine it.. after all if we can remember what happened at the Indian Consulate (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/02/MNGHNNTLI81.DTL) It can happen anywhere....
Sensitive data dumped at recycling center
Indian Consulate tossed visa applications from business, political figures at S.F. facility
David Lazarus
Friday, February 2, 2007
Thousands of visa applications and other sensitive documents, including paperwork submitted by top executives and political figures, sat for more than a month in the open yard of a San Francisco recycling center after they were dumped there by the city's Indian Consulate.
The documents, which security experts say represented a potential treasure trove for identity thieves or terrorists, finally were hauled away Wednesday after The Chronicle inspected the site and questioned officials at the consulate and the recycling facility.
Among the papers were visa applications submitted by Byron Pollitt, chief financial officer of San Francisco's Gap Inc., and Anne Gust, wife of California Attorney General Jerry Brown.
"It's shocking and totally unacceptable," Brown said when asked about the incident.
Information on the documents includes applicants' names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, professions, employers, passport numbers and photos. Accompanying letters detail people's travel plans and reasons for visiting India.
"As we see it, the documents are not confidential," said B.S. Prakash, the consul general. "We would see something as confidential if it has a Social Security number or a credit card number, not a passport number."
But security experts say it wouldn't be hard to obtain someone's Social Security number using the information available in the consular documents. They also point out that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers used false passports, which wouldn't be hard to obtain using data and photos from the documents.
"This is absolutely sensitive information," said Charles Cresson Wood, a Sausalito information-security consultant. "It needs to be safeguarded."
Pratik Sircar, deputy consul general for the Indian Consulate, said the office on Arguello Boulevard processes visa applications and other paperwork for 14 Western states.
"We have a shortage of space," he said. "We keep this material for a year, and then we have to destroy it."
However, the consulate didn't destroy the documents. Instead, it hired a hauling company in December to cart the boxes to the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council recycling center near Golden Gate Park on Frederick Street.
The open-air facility is accessible to the public seven days a week. Anyone can walk through the gate and poke around.
"We thought it was their job to shred the material as soon as they got it," Sircar said.
Andy Pugni, general manager of the recycling center, responded that he doesn't know where the consulate got this idea.
"We take in paper, put it in large containers and ship it off for recycling," he said. "That's all we do. We don't shred."
Pugni added: "We assume anyone who brings stuff over here will be smart enough to destroy any sensitive materials. I wouldn't bring any of my own materials here."
Alerted by The Chronicle to the presence of confidential documents in a corner of the recycling yard -- many of the white boxes were clearly marked "visa applications" -- Pugni had a truck brought in to haul the papers to an East Bay company that will boil them down and recycle them as blank pages.
All that remained in the yard Thursday were remnants of the boxes.
But a sampling of documents obtained by The Chronicle indicate that the boxes contained confidential paperwork for virtually everyone in California and other Western states who applied for visas to travel to India between 2002 and 2005.
They also contained thousands of documents submitted by Indian citizens and people of Indian background residing in the region.
"It's hard to believe that this is how confidential information is treated," said San Francisco resident Farah Champsi, who was born in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and requested copies of her birth certificate in 2005.
Her application ended up at the recycling center. "This is terrible," Champsi said.
Visa applications were submitted by current and former executives of many of the region's leading employers, including AT&T Wireless Inc., Oracle Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Williams-Sonoma Inc.
The documents illustrate the extent to which major U.S. companies have established operations in India or rely on India for key services.
A letter from Gap's then-CEO Paul Pressler accompanying the visa application for Pollitt says the company's CFO was heading to India for several days in April 2004 "for the purpose of visiting Gap Inc.'s sites and vendor facilities."
After the application surfaced this week, Pollitt said he found it "both astonishing and alarming to learn that basic safeguards were apparently not in place to ensure the privacy of my personal information.
"As a past victim of identity theft, I am painfully aware of how important it is to ensure personal information is well protected," he said.
Another Bay Area exec whose privacy was jeopardized is Rob Haragan, co-founder of NetDevices Inc., a Los Altos company that specializes in network security. Much of NetDevices' research is conducted at a facility in Bangalore.
Haragan, a former executive at Cisco Systems Inc., applied for a visa to travel to India in 2004. He estimates that he's since been to the country more than a dozen times.
He said he was surprised to learn that his application spent weeks at a recycling center.
"The consulate absolutely needs to correct this," Haragan said. "It's a breach of trust."
Brian Biega oversees storage of internal paperwork at Redwood City software giant Oracle, so he knows a thing or two about the proper handling of confidential documents. He, too, applied for a visa to visit India in 2004, and his application also ended up at the recycling center.
Biega didn't hesitate when asked how Oracle's famously truculent CEO Larry Ellison would react if boxes of sensitive information were left at a recycling center. "I'm sure I'd lose my job," he replied.
At the Indian Consulate, Consul General Prakash said there may be a cultural dimension to the level of outrage related to the incident among Western visa applicants.
"In India, I would not be alarmed," he said. "We have grown up giving such information in many, many places. We would not be so worried if someone had our passport number."
Deputy Consul General Sircar said that in other countries, Indian officials are able to go to the roofs of their offices and burn documents they're no longer able to store.
"In America, you cannot do that," he said.
Sircar said the consulate would find some other way to deal with its excess paperwork in the future.
Pugni at the recycling center said that shortly after he had the documents carted away, a representative of the consulate arrived at the facility.
"He apologized for everything," Pugni said. "Then he said he was on his way to Best Buy to pick up a shredder."
David Lazarus' column appears on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. He also can be heard on Saturdays, 4 to 7 p.m., on KGO Radio. Send tips or feedback to dlazarus@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/02/MNGHNNTLI81.DTL
Sensitive data dumped at recycling center
Indian Consulate tossed visa applications from business, political figures at S.F. facility
David Lazarus
Friday, February 2, 2007
Thousands of visa applications and other sensitive documents, including paperwork submitted by top executives and political figures, sat for more than a month in the open yard of a San Francisco recycling center after they were dumped there by the city's Indian Consulate.
The documents, which security experts say represented a potential treasure trove for identity thieves or terrorists, finally were hauled away Wednesday after The Chronicle inspected the site and questioned officials at the consulate and the recycling facility.
Among the papers were visa applications submitted by Byron Pollitt, chief financial officer of San Francisco's Gap Inc., and Anne Gust, wife of California Attorney General Jerry Brown.
"It's shocking and totally unacceptable," Brown said when asked about the incident.
Information on the documents includes applicants' names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, professions, employers, passport numbers and photos. Accompanying letters detail people's travel plans and reasons for visiting India.
"As we see it, the documents are not confidential," said B.S. Prakash, the consul general. "We would see something as confidential if it has a Social Security number or a credit card number, not a passport number."
But security experts say it wouldn't be hard to obtain someone's Social Security number using the information available in the consular documents. They also point out that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers used false passports, which wouldn't be hard to obtain using data and photos from the documents.
"This is absolutely sensitive information," said Charles Cresson Wood, a Sausalito information-security consultant. "It needs to be safeguarded."
Pratik Sircar, deputy consul general for the Indian Consulate, said the office on Arguello Boulevard processes visa applications and other paperwork for 14 Western states.
"We have a shortage of space," he said. "We keep this material for a year, and then we have to destroy it."
However, the consulate didn't destroy the documents. Instead, it hired a hauling company in December to cart the boxes to the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council recycling center near Golden Gate Park on Frederick Street.
The open-air facility is accessible to the public seven days a week. Anyone can walk through the gate and poke around.
"We thought it was their job to shred the material as soon as they got it," Sircar said.
Andy Pugni, general manager of the recycling center, responded that he doesn't know where the consulate got this idea.
"We take in paper, put it in large containers and ship it off for recycling," he said. "That's all we do. We don't shred."
Pugni added: "We assume anyone who brings stuff over here will be smart enough to destroy any sensitive materials. I wouldn't bring any of my own materials here."
Alerted by The Chronicle to the presence of confidential documents in a corner of the recycling yard -- many of the white boxes were clearly marked "visa applications" -- Pugni had a truck brought in to haul the papers to an East Bay company that will boil them down and recycle them as blank pages.
All that remained in the yard Thursday were remnants of the boxes.
But a sampling of documents obtained by The Chronicle indicate that the boxes contained confidential paperwork for virtually everyone in California and other Western states who applied for visas to travel to India between 2002 and 2005.
They also contained thousands of documents submitted by Indian citizens and people of Indian background residing in the region.
"It's hard to believe that this is how confidential information is treated," said San Francisco resident Farah Champsi, who was born in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and requested copies of her birth certificate in 2005.
Her application ended up at the recycling center. "This is terrible," Champsi said.
Visa applications were submitted by current and former executives of many of the region's leading employers, including AT&T Wireless Inc., Oracle Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Williams-Sonoma Inc.
The documents illustrate the extent to which major U.S. companies have established operations in India or rely on India for key services.
A letter from Gap's then-CEO Paul Pressler accompanying the visa application for Pollitt says the company's CFO was heading to India for several days in April 2004 "for the purpose of visiting Gap Inc.'s sites and vendor facilities."
After the application surfaced this week, Pollitt said he found it "both astonishing and alarming to learn that basic safeguards were apparently not in place to ensure the privacy of my personal information.
"As a past victim of identity theft, I am painfully aware of how important it is to ensure personal information is well protected," he said.
Another Bay Area exec whose privacy was jeopardized is Rob Haragan, co-founder of NetDevices Inc., a Los Altos company that specializes in network security. Much of NetDevices' research is conducted at a facility in Bangalore.
Haragan, a former executive at Cisco Systems Inc., applied for a visa to travel to India in 2004. He estimates that he's since been to the country more than a dozen times.
He said he was surprised to learn that his application spent weeks at a recycling center.
"The consulate absolutely needs to correct this," Haragan said. "It's a breach of trust."
Brian Biega oversees storage of internal paperwork at Redwood City software giant Oracle, so he knows a thing or two about the proper handling of confidential documents. He, too, applied for a visa to visit India in 2004, and his application also ended up at the recycling center.
Biega didn't hesitate when asked how Oracle's famously truculent CEO Larry Ellison would react if boxes of sensitive information were left at a recycling center. "I'm sure I'd lose my job," he replied.
At the Indian Consulate, Consul General Prakash said there may be a cultural dimension to the level of outrage related to the incident among Western visa applicants.
"In India, I would not be alarmed," he said. "We have grown up giving such information in many, many places. We would not be so worried if someone had our passport number."
Deputy Consul General Sircar said that in other countries, Indian officials are able to go to the roofs of their offices and burn documents they're no longer able to store.
"In America, you cannot do that," he said.
Sircar said the consulate would find some other way to deal with its excess paperwork in the future.
Pugni at the recycling center said that shortly after he had the documents carted away, a representative of the consulate arrived at the facility.
"He apologized for everything," Pugni said. "Then he said he was on his way to Best Buy to pick up a shredder."
David Lazarus' column appears on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. He also can be heard on Saturdays, 4 to 7 p.m., on KGO Radio. Send tips or feedback to dlazarus@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/02/MNGHNNTLI81.DTL
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Buran
08-15 10:59 AM
Just e-file. There will be not confusion with the amount to pay.
nozerd
10-07 11:08 AM
FYI They are not taking into consideration cases that have opted for Consular Processing after I 140 approval that may be pending at NVC due to visa dates.
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sk.aggarwal
11-12 01:01 PM
Completely agreee with hari_baby22. Couple of days back I posted that immigration voice could get a lot more donations if they publish there earnings/expenses report online and make everything transparent. Lot of people including myself, do not contribute because they dont know how funds are getting used. My post was deleted by administrator and I got following message -->
Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
We don't think you are for real. We believe you are an agent of a for profit immigration website.
***************
This time my user account itself might get deleted....
Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
We don't think you are for real. We believe you are an agent of a for profit immigration website.
***************
This time my user account itself might get deleted....
more...
Refugee_New
01-07 12:00 PM
Its really scary for IT folks in India. Read on
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jan2009/gb2009017_807784.htm?campaign_id=yhoo
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jan2009/gb2009017_807784.htm?campaign_id=yhoo
sapota
01-18 12:36 PM
Now the main culprit is the financial sector, esp. any company that had investments in sub prime mortgage or exotic derivatives associated with it.
Cash/capital/loans are getting harder to obtain. So even companies unrelated to the financial sector might not hire more (maybe not layoffs).
But the US govt. can print as much dollars as they want. Am sure the bailout package will help some out of job executives so they can continue redecorating their million dollar yacht.
Cash/capital/loans are getting harder to obtain. So even companies unrelated to the financial sector might not hire more (maybe not layoffs).
But the US govt. can print as much dollars as they want. Am sure the bailout package will help some out of job executives so they can continue redecorating their million dollar yacht.
more...
Dhundhun
06-04 03:03 PM
Sorry to hear that case is gone to wrong office. The (c)(9)() class of EAD filing instruction is that it must be sent where I485 is being processed.
During infopass visit, officer must have given some clue.
If I were you, I would be sending the supporting documents with a covering letter stating the blunder. This type of mistake should not be uncommon to USCIS offices and they should have procedures to fix it.
During infopass visit, officer must have given some clue.
If I were you, I would be sending the supporting documents with a covering letter stating the blunder. This type of mistake should not be uncommon to USCIS offices and they should have procedures to fix it.
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techbuyer77
10-06 12:08 PM
Husband is still pending ?????:D:D:D
Yes he is still pending :confused:
Yes he is still pending :confused:
more...
pankajkakkar
09-19 11:02 AM
I was very impressed by the guy who sang the national anthem...who was he?? He was too good!!
Thank you 485_se_dukhi :) ... that was yours truly.
Thank you 485_se_dukhi :) ... that was yours truly.
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syendu1
02-23 01:45 PM
I applied for my EAD renewal during last week of Nov 2010, it took only 42 days to receive my renewed card. It got 2 years validity, validity starts from the next day of current EAD expiration date. Even though current card is valid for another 2 months, pleasantly surprised to receive the new card in USPS priority mail. Overall, job well done by USCIS as for as this EAD renewal in concerned.
My priority date is Jan 2007, not sure whether by extending it for 2 years USCIS is not expecting me to be current in the near future. Personally I am expecting to be current during this July - Sep time frame. Worst case at least it should be a touch and go scenario, fingers crossed.
i applied for EAD on Dec 21st, got card ordered for production email on Jan 21, and got the card via USPS 2 days ago. My PD is just few months away from May 2006 (EB2), but I still got 2 years validity (on the EAD card).
I cannot possibly imagine the fact that PD wont move even a few months when spillover begins.
Jai Hind
My priority date is Jan 2007, not sure whether by extending it for 2 years USCIS is not expecting me to be current in the near future. Personally I am expecting to be current during this July - Sep time frame. Worst case at least it should be a touch and go scenario, fingers crossed.
i applied for EAD on Dec 21st, got card ordered for production email on Jan 21, and got the card via USPS 2 days ago. My PD is just few months away from May 2006 (EB2), but I still got 2 years validity (on the EAD card).
I cannot possibly imagine the fact that PD wont move even a few months when spillover begins.
Jai Hind
more...
GCBatman
01-07 09:16 AM
Another bad news
How it will going effect the folks working here (from Satyam)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aSR2iC3g2LAQ&refer=india
How it will going effect the folks working here (from Satyam)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aSR2iC3g2LAQ&refer=india
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justAnotherFile
04-04 12:04 PM
its unbelievable what has been achieved in the last 2 months.
this is also path-breaking and historical as this is the first recorded organized group of high-skilled legal immigrants fighting for their cause.
Kudos to the core team. ignore the detractors.
this is also path-breaking and historical as this is the first recorded organized group of high-skilled legal immigrants fighting for their cause.
Kudos to the core team. ignore the detractors.
more...
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BSVENKI
05-24 12:47 PM
Done...Good work.
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austingc
07-08 05:13 PM
You definitely need to send it even if you get BIOMETERICS
Hello WAIT_FOR_EVER_GC , Please do not confuse or post anything that you have no idea about.
Its is not true. You don't need to send photos for EAD and the instruction clearley says that. For AP you need to send photos even thnough you went for biometric appointment.
If you apply both EAD and AP together then you will still need to go to fingerprint and also send photos for AP.
Hello WAIT_FOR_EVER_GC , Please do not confuse or post anything that you have no idea about.
Its is not true. You don't need to send photos for EAD and the instruction clearley says that. For AP you need to send photos even thnough you went for biometric appointment.
If you apply both EAD and AP together then you will still need to go to fingerprint and also send photos for AP.
more...
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rajuseattle
07-14 08:52 PM
this is mainly due to July VISA Bulletin fiasco and thousands were allowed to apply for their I-485, due to USCIS/DOL July 2007 VB.
one moe reason lots of Citizenship petitions were also filed in July 2007 to take advantage of old fees structure.
All countries of chargeability and employment categories were made current, since Dol was frustrated with USCIS's slow processing rate for I-485 and had Dol not made the VB current USCIS would have wasted few thousand VISA numbers as usual.
Silverlining is that we were all given freedom of using EAD and get new jobs or promotions using the AC-21 provisions...but the long term side effect is the slow moment we are seeing for the processing dates.
NSC is slow since lots of high tech H1-B employers are from CA and WA states and they applied truck load of I-485 versus the folks in Texas Service centre.
We are all hoping that once USCIS is out of this naturalization processing pressure before the elections, they would start processing the July-aug 2007 I-485 petitions.
one moe reason lots of Citizenship petitions were also filed in July 2007 to take advantage of old fees structure.
All countries of chargeability and employment categories were made current, since Dol was frustrated with USCIS's slow processing rate for I-485 and had Dol not made the VB current USCIS would have wasted few thousand VISA numbers as usual.
Silverlining is that we were all given freedom of using EAD and get new jobs or promotions using the AC-21 provisions...but the long term side effect is the slow moment we are seeing for the processing dates.
NSC is slow since lots of high tech H1-B employers are from CA and WA states and they applied truck load of I-485 versus the folks in Texas Service centre.
We are all hoping that once USCIS is out of this naturalization processing pressure before the elections, they would start processing the July-aug 2007 I-485 petitions.
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telekinesis
01-02 05:57 PM
Hey lost, lets start a battle within a week involving most moderators, of course something to do with Flash. We can talk about it more on AIM! :rambo:
more...
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Drifter
04-06 02:49 PM
A core member has been helping me in this matter. I really have to thank the core for being so responsive and for giving this matter the kind of attention it deserves. There is some progress in this case and the quickness with which the IV Core acted on this and moved the issue forward gives me and my family hope.
We have been patiently waiting in the immigration queue for close to 10 years and finally when we are so close to the end of this long journey become victims of a clerical error which was completely out of our control. IV has provided our family with hope. I thank IV for that
We pray that this issue gets resolved and I hope that no one else has to go thorugh this trying situation.
We have been patiently waiting in the immigration queue for close to 10 years and finally when we are so close to the end of this long journey become victims of a clerical error which was completely out of our control. IV has provided our family with hope. I thank IV for that
We pray that this issue gets resolved and I hope that no one else has to go thorugh this trying situation.
girlfriend Marine Corps spokesman Capt.
alterego
10-05 02:02 PM
I received IRS tax audit check for year 2005 last week. I guess mostly I can defend my audit and I have scheduled an appointment with IRS tax manager for next week
However god forbid if I have to pay penalty on audit,I was wondering this would impact anything on my 485 process. Does it have any impact
Appreciate your thoughts.
If anyone faced this problem please, please give ur ideas
Most audits are routine, once you can back up your claims with paper records/receipts you will be OK, but consult with your CPA and be ready to address the points raised.
Unless you have been found to commit criminal fraud, it should not affect your green card petition. Small penalties and the like have no effect. Last year I had to pay a small penalty because I underestimated my taxes deducted during the year.
You are getting an audit for the 2005 year now? I would have thought they would have moved on by now. Did you take an extension and file late last year?
However god forbid if I have to pay penalty on audit,I was wondering this would impact anything on my 485 process. Does it have any impact
Appreciate your thoughts.
If anyone faced this problem please, please give ur ideas
Most audits are routine, once you can back up your claims with paper records/receipts you will be OK, but consult with your CPA and be ready to address the points raised.
Unless you have been found to commit criminal fraud, it should not affect your green card petition. Small penalties and the like have no effect. Last year I had to pay a small penalty because I underestimated my taxes deducted during the year.
You are getting an audit for the 2005 year now? I would have thought they would have moved on by now. Did you take an extension and file late last year?
hairstyles U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
amitjoey
05-21 06:50 PM
Was ur denail on A2p ?or education related n do we get a new receipt number after filing MTR?
A2P...YES!! you will get a receipt. MTR is I290B
A2P...YES!! you will get a receipt. MTR is I290B
jonty_11
05-22 06:10 PM
they will have ur recors...and ur I797 application to prove u r legal...
Its a ironic sattire.....we r all trying to prove ourselves illegal now,
Its a ironic sattire.....we r all trying to prove ourselves illegal now,
kpchal2
04-02 01:51 AM
hi any suggestions for the question coophole put up. even i moved out of state and waiting to receive the rfe document. if they suggest that we go to the same civil surgeon is that a mandatory event. i think vin13 went to a different civil surgeon. so i guess we can go to a different civil surgeon. gurus please advice.