December 2001 Newsletter
**U.S.
IMMIGRATION NEWS**
December 1, 2001
Published by:
ImmigrationLinks.com, Inc.
“Your Immigration Link to the World”
Copyright © 2001, ImmigrationLinks.com, Inc.
Email: info@immigrationlinks.com
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Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided for general information only. It is NOT legal advice, and should not be relied upon as such. For legal services such as representation, please contact an attorney who specializes in the area of Immigration Law, such as one of our attorney “Service Providers” whose businesses are promoted on our site.
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Welcome to ImmigrationLinks.com, Inc., “Your Immigration Link to the World”. This month, things seem to be getting back to normal on the immigration front. Most of the agencies that deal with immigration matters are back in normal operation, and for the first time in several months, we are starting to see some new regulations, as well as some congressional activity. While it still may be several more months before Congress takes up some of the major immigration legislation, at least there is some hope for the near future. As usual, we will keep you up to date with all of the latest developments as they relate to US immigration.
How to Use Our Site?
- Immigration News Page: To get the latest immigration news, updated on a daily basis, go to this page. We have thousands of news articles covering every type of immigration petition or application. You can download free immigration and state department forms, get the latest fee schedules, list of immigration doctors, addresses and telephone numbers of immigration offices, the latest priority dates, current processing times, and much, much more. Check out the “NEWS FLASH” area for late-breaking immigration developments.
- Immigration Hints & Tips Page: Get useful immigration hints and tips that will make the filing of your immigration case easier and faster. Have access to forms and sample briefs and legal memorandum especially prepared by immigration attorneys that you can use with your applications. Attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America have prepared many of these documents.
- Immigration Research Page: Go here to get connected to thousands of public and private agencies and businesses related to US immigration law. You will have free access to copies of all of the immigration laws, all court decisions, agency memos and field instructions, forms, addresses and telephone numbers, and a lot more. We are constantly adding new links. No other immigration site has as many links as we have. (Feel free to look at all of our links and send us suggestions for any others that you believe are important).
- Immigration Services: These are the businesses that provide valuable products and services to assist the immigrant community. Let us promote your company’s business on our site for as little as $25.00 per year. You can also have our free banner placed on your business’s web site as a service for your customers.
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- Other Services: Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, including urgent updates as necessary. Look for free downloads of immigration materials including official immigration, state department, and labor department application forms; specially prepared forms to use with your applications; news articles; and insider tips written for ImmigrationLinks.com by some of the finest immigration attorneys in the country.
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To view previous issues of our Monthly Immigration Newsletters, Click Here.
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***Coming Soon***
ImmigrationLinks.com is known for its high quality news, information, and research services. It is recognized internationally for one of the top Immigration Law Manuals available on the Internet. Soon, we will be releasing a brand new version of our Do-it-Yourself Processing Kit for Marriage Cases. In keeping with the high quality of all of our products, this will be the finest Immigration Kit available anywhere. It will contain features not available in other do-it-yourself products, and it will be authored by an attorney listed in The Best Lawyers in America, and Law and Leading Attorneys in America. It will prove to be an invaluable resource for those wishing to file their own petition and/or application based upon marriage to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident alien.
The kit will allow persons to file for conditional and permanent residence based on marriage to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident alien. It will allow US citizens to petition for their fiancées, and to apply for the new K-3 visa at consulates outside of the US. Spouses and minor children of permanent resident aliens who qualify for the new V visa will be able to use these kits to obtain V visas or status, work permission, and then permanent residence when their priority dates become current. Also, this kit will have everything needed to file for removal of conditional residence for those who need to do so.
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Top
Immigration Attorneys Answer Your Immigration Questions for FREE
ImmigrationLinks.com is pleased to announce that some of the top immigration attorneys in the country will be answering your “general” immigration questions for free on our “Bulletin Board” page. This month the law staff of ImmigrationLinks.com will be answering your questions.
We plan on having guest attorneys available to answer your questions at least once a month. This service, as are all other services on our site, is completely free. We hope you will take this opportunity to ask the questions that are important to you.
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INS Restructuring Plan Announced
To
View the Entire Restructuring Plan, click here 
The Bush administration has announced a major restructuring of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to separate law enforcement and service duties.
The change fulfills a campaign pledge by President Bush to try to reduce the long waits endured by people who apply for benefits such as naturalization or permanent residency. It also seeks to address deficiencies in how the INS tracks foreigners who enter the country.
``President Bush is concerned that the INS has been hindered by the current structure of the agency to perform its responsibilities of welcoming new immigrants and protecting our borders by enforcing immigration laws,'' Attorney General John Ashcroft said.
Under the plan, which is to be completed by September 30, 2003, a new Bureau of Immigration Enforcement will oversee issues involving intelligence, investigations, and illegal aliens.
The new Bureau of Immigration Services will process applications for naturalization, asylum, work permits and green card renewals, and deal with other immigrant benefits issues.
According to INS Commissioner James Ziglar, the changes can be made more quickly, because creating two separate agencies requires legislation, while the proposed restructuring does not require congressional approval.
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September 11 Home Page
Check our September 11 page for all of the latest information and legislation enacted as a result of the events of that day. Click Here for the September 11 Home Page
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Canada and
Mexico Suspend Processing of Visa Applications
for Third Country Nationals
The US State Department has advised that processing of visa
applications from third country nationals who are not resident in the consular
districts of the border posts has been suspended. In addition, existing non-immigrant visa appointments are
being cancelled.
While the State Department indicates that this is a
temporary measure, it is a direct result of new State Department procedures whereby
young males from Middle Eastern countries will face 20-day waits for security
checks before receiving a non-immigrant visa.
In fact, persons from the targeted countries who make a
visa appointment through the on-line Visa Appointment Reservation System will
receive the following message: “Effective immediately, the State Department
has introduced a 20-day waiting period for men from certain countries, ages
16-45, applying for visas into the United States."
The following countries of birth are among those for whom
this message appears: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab
Emirates, Yemen.
The State Department is working with INS to reinstate third country national visa processing in Canada and Mexico. As soon as any changes are announced, we will post the information to our web site.
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More on Third Country National Processing at Border Posts
Consular posts in Canada and Ciudad Juarez have announced that they are canceling only those existing appointments for third country nationals that would be affected by the new clearance requirements.
The consulates will honor appointments for those persons from other countries who have existing appointments, although no new appointments for third country nationals are being scheduled.
We strongly suggest that you call the consulate personally before appearing for an interview if you are a third country national.
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Revised Application for Naturalization, Form N-400, Effective 1/1/02
The Immigration and Naturalization Service has announced the implementation of a new form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Use of this new form will be required, effective January 1, 2002.
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Notes from the Missouri
Service Center on Filing a Change to V Status
The Missouri Service Center has indicated that there appears to be some confusion about how to file applications to change to V status where there are derivative beneficiaries.
According to the MSC, the beneficiaries should be included on Supplement A to the principal beneficiary's I-539. You should not file a separate Supplement A for each derivative. They should all be included on one Supplement.
Only complete an I-539 for the principal beneficiary, and a Supplement A to
cover the rest of the family.
Only one I-539 fee should be paid, however, you should include separate $25.00
fingerprinting fees for each member of the family age 14 and over.
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Justice Department Memo on
How to Conduct Interviews
of Foreign Nationals in Connection with the September
11 Attacks
The US Justice Department has issued a memorandum to all US Attorneys and to all members of the Anti-Terrorism Task Force providing guidance on how to conduct interviews of the nearly 5,000 persons who have been targeted for questioning.
One portion of the memo states that "while the primary purpose of these interviews is not to ascertain the legality of the individuals' immigration status, the federal responsibility to enforce the immigration laws, as exercised by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), is an important one. Therefore, if you suspect that a particular individual may be in violation of the federal immigration laws, you should call the INS representative on your Anti-Terrorism Task Force or the INS officials at the closest Law Enforcement Support Center. Those officials will advise you whether the individual is in violation of the immigration laws and whether he should be detained."
To view the entire memo, which is posted on the Detroit Free Press web site, go to: http://www.freep.com/gallery/2001/interviews/index.htm.
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DV-2003 Lottery Filing Period Ends
The registration period for the Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2003) which ran from October 1, 2001 until October 31, 2001 is now over. Winners will be selected at random by computer from among all qualified entries received during the mail-in period.
Successful registrants will be contacted by mail between May and June 2002. Only those selected will be notified by the Kentucky Consular Center. If you do not receive written notification by July 2002, then you were not selected for the DV-2003 lottery. Neither the Kentucky Consular Center, National Visa Center nor U.S. embassies and consulates abroad will be able to provide a list of successful registrants.
The dates for the next diversity visa lottery (DV-2004) have not yet been determined. You may wish to check this site again after August 2002 for updates on the DV-2004 visa lottery.
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Merry
Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Seasons Greetings
to Everyone, and Best Wishes to
All for a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year from the Staff of
ImmigrationLinks.com
Thank you for taking the time to read through this month's mailing. We hope you have picked up at least a few important pointers. Please feel free to send us your immigration-related article that you want us to include in our next monthly mailing. Click here for instructions. Your article will be sent out at the beginning of next month to all of our subscribers, and it can be viewed online by millions of prospective immigration applicants around the world.
We would also like to hear from anyone who has had either a positive or negative experience with the US Immigration Service, Immigration Court, or a US Consulate, as we would like to share these thoughts with our readers. Appropriate articles will be published in our monthly newsletters. We do need your name and e-mail address in order to obtain additional information if necessary, however this information will not be disclosed without your specific consent.
Even though Congress and the Courts have remedied some of the harsh consequences of the 1996 Act, they have not gone far enough, and there is still much more that has to be accomplished. We will provide our readers with updates on what is still needed to bring fairness and equity to US immigration law. It is important that everyone contact their Senators and Representatives to let them know that we want fairness and justice when dealing with those seeking to join their family members, or prospective employers, in the United States. With your help, the rights of immigrants and their family members will be greatly enhanced.
The entire staff of ImmigrationLinks.com would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you the best in dealing with your immigration case, and Happy Holiday Wishes to you and your families.
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