March 2002 Newsletter
**U.S.
IMMIGRATION NEWS**
March 1, 2002
Published by:
ImmigrationLinks.com, Inc.
“Your Immigration Link to the World”
Copyright © 2002, ImmigrationLinks.com, Inc.
Email: info@immigrationlinks.com
Internet: www.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”. As we stated in last month's issue, important immigration legislation will be coming forth within the next few months. There are many new immigration bills pending in Congress, and many of the old issues such as an extension of section 245(i), and further relief for spouses of lawful permanent resident aliens, are sure to come up again. Now is the time for all of us to contact our Congressmen and women to let them know how important these issues are for the benefit of families and businesses in this country. As these bills get closer to a floor vote, we will provide you with additional information as to how to contact your Senators and Representatives to urge their support for this legislation. As usual, we will be at the forefront to express these views to our lawmakers and, as always, we will keep you up to date with all of the latest developments in US immigration law.
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).
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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, including full information on affidavit of support requirements. 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 with most 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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Reminder--New INS Fees Now in Effect
The Immigration and Naturalization Service has published its Final Rule implementing fee increases for a variety of petitions and applications. The fees took effect on February 19, 2002.
Click here to view the entire rule, containing the specific petitions and applications that have fee increases.
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INS Issues Guidance on E and
L Spousal Employment
and 6-Month Blanket L Requirements
The Immigration and Naturalization Service has issued a memorandum providing guidance on the implementation of recent legislation relating to the employment of spouses of E and L beneficiaries, as well as the overseas employment requirements for beneficiaries of L blanket petitions.
To view the memo, click
here. 
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INS Publishes Interim Rule Terminating Argentina as a Visa Waiver Participant
The INS has published an interim rule in the Federal Register terminating Argentina’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program, effective February 21, 2002. Argentine nationals will now need to obtain a visa before traveling to the US.
Those wishing to comment on the rule must do so by 4/22/02.
To view the regulation, click here.
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HOT BILLS
107th CONGRESS
(Provided by AILA)
The American Immigration Lawyers Association has provided a list of immigration-related bills introduced during the 107th Congress that reflect AILA's legislative priorities.
Click here to view the pending bills.
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Sample 245(i) Letter to Congress
Use this letter as a model to send to your Representative or Senator:
The Honorable (Full Name)
__ (Rm #) __ (name of) House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Representative ___________:
Or:
The Honorable (Full Name)
__ (Rm #) __ (name of) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senator ___________:
I am writing to urge you to support a
vital provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that would permit
immigrants on the brink of becoming permanent residents to stay in the United
States while the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) considers their
applications. This provision is
commonly known as Section 245(i). It
permits individuals to qualify for permanent residence in the US without the
need to return to their home countries to receive their visas.
In return, they must pay a $1,000.00 penalty fee, which greatly assists
the Immigration Service in providing services, without the need to seek these
funds from the US Treasury.
Without Section 245(i), affected
immigrants must return to their home countries, thereby disrupting their
families and work lives, to apply abroad for U.S. residency.
In many cases, they must remain outside of the United States for 10 years
or more.
Last year, Congress extended Section 245(i), to allow certain immigrants who filed preliminary paperwork by April 30, 2001 to adjust to permanent resident status here in this country. Unfortunately, this four-month period of time was not long enough to allow many qualified applicants from filing for adjustment based on their family relationships, or through a bona fide offer of employment.
I urge you to support a workable extension of the Section 245(i) deadline of at least one year, without any new requirements. We need an extension of Section 245(i) that will prevent the separation of families, allow businesses to retain valued employees, and provide much-needed income for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Sincerely,
Your Name, Address, and Phone #
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INS Signs Memorandum of
Agreement with Department of Defense
National Guard Troops to Assist
INS At Northern and Southern Borders
Click here to view the INS memo.
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State Department Issues 2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
The US State Department has issued its 2001 Country Reports for Human Rights Practices. The Country Reports provide a detailed analysis of human rights conditions in 195 countries. This is an excellent resource for use in asylum cases.
To view the country reports for 2001, click here.
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Poverty Guidelines for 2002
The US Department of Health and Human Services has published its poverty guidelines for the year 2002. The guidelines are effective as of February 14, 2002.
Please keep in mind that the Immigration Service
and State Department require 125% of the guidelines for sponsorship purposes.
To view the guidelines, click here.
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Update
on CSS, LULAC/Newman, and the LIFE Act:
Federal Court Grants Motion to Amend
CSS Case
Click here to read the memo from Attorney Peter Schey of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law
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INS Discusses Visa Waiver Program
At a Congressional hearing on February 28, INS officials discussed the Visa Waiver Program and its implementation.
To view a copy of the congressional testimony, click
here.
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President's Proposed Budget Includes Large Increases for INS
The President's Proposed Budget for the Immigration and Naturalization Service for FY 2003 (which is for the period beginning October 1, 2002), includes large increases for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Most of the funds are to be used to increase homeland security and to fight terrorism. However, the president's budget allocates sufficient funds to allow INS to adjudicate all types of petitions and applications within six (6) months.
To view the information from the INS web site, click here.
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Best Wishes to All
from the Staff of ImmigrationLinks.com;
Now Your #1 Source for Information on US Immigration Law
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 with warm wishes to you and your families during this New Year.
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