Update on Special Registration for Group (3) and Group(4) Nationals

The INS is calling for certain nationals or citizens to comply with federal registration procedures. As published in a Federal Register Notice in late December, nationals or citizens of these nations who fit the following description must register with the INS

Group 3 : Nationals or citizens from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to comply with federal registration procedures. You must register before March 21, 2003 if you:

• were inspected and admitted to the U.S. by the INS on or before September 30, 2002;
• are a male, age 16 or above;
• did not have an application for asylum pending with the INS on December 18, 2002 or are not otherwise exempt; and
• plan to remain in the U.S. until at least March 21, 2003

Group 4 : Nationals or citizens from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, or Kuwait to comply with federal registration procedures. You must register before April 25, 2003 if you:

• were inspected and admitted to the U.S. by the INS on or before September 30, 2002;
• are a male, age 16 or above;
• did not have an application for asylum pending with the INS on January 16, 2003 or are not otherwise exempt; and
• plan to remain in the U.S. until at least April 25, 2003

If you match the above description, you must come to a designated INS office to be photographed, fingerprinted and interviewed (under oath). If you remain in the U.S. for an additional year, you are required to return to a designated INS office within ten days of the one-year anniversary of this registration to again be registered. You must also inform the INS in writing (on Form AR-11 SR) of any change of address, employment or educational institution. Finally, if you leave the U.S., you must appear in person for an interview with an INS inspecting officer at a designated port of entry, and you must leave from that port of entry on the same day.

Applicable individuals who do not comply with these registration procedures may be arrested, detained, fined for noncompliance, or, in some cases, deported. Failure to meet with an INS official when leaving the U.S. may lead to problems upon attempted reentry.

If you need any additional help or services, Please contact us.

Green Cards Available for Refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam

A new INS program is allowing permanent residency for thousands of refugees who fled Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The regulation, which recently went into effect, allows these refugees to apply for green cards.

Refugees from these three countries, who first started arriving in the U.S. in 1988, have been living in quasi-limbo in the U.S. These refugees were not required to live abroad while waiting to enter the U.S.; they were granted temporary status and could live and work in the U.S. However, they did not have passports and could not travel outside the U.S. without INS authorization.

The new program, which took a year to be approved, will enable 5,000 refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, over the next 3 years, to receive green cards and permanent residency. This program will also enable these individuals to apply for naturalization soon after receiving their green cards. Typically, the naturalization process takes nearly five years.

Special Registration Deadline Coming Up for Saudi and Pakistani Nationals

The INS is calling for certain nationals or citizens from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to comply with federal registration procedures. As published in a Federal Register Notice in late December, nationals or citizens of these two nations who fit the following description must register with the INS between January 13, 2003 and February 21, 2003:

You must register if you:

•    were inspected and admitted to the U.S. by the INS on or before September 30, 2002; •    are a male, age 16 or above; •    did not have an application for asylum pending with the INS on   December 18, 2002 or are not otherwise exempt; and •    plan to remain in the U.S. until at least February 21, 2003

If you match the above description, you must come to a designated INS office to be photographed, fingerprinted and interviewed (under oath). If you remain in the U.S. for an additional year, you are required to return to a designated INS office within ten days of the one-year anniversary of this registration to again be registered. You must also inform the INS in writing (on Form AR-11 SR) of any change of address, employment or educational institution. Finally, if you leave the U.S., you must appear in person for an interview with an INS inspecting officer at a designated port of entry, and you must leave from that port of entry on the same day.

Applicable individuals who do not comply with these registration procedures may be arrested, detained, fined for noncompliance, or, in some cases, deported. Failure to meet with an INS official when leaving the U.S. may lead to problems upon attempted reentry.

If you need any additional help or services, Please contact us.

Immigrant Application and Petition Fees Reduced

In the recent Homeland Security Act of 2002 passed by Congress, section 457 includes statements requiring the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to reduce the fee schedules for immigrant benefit applications and petitions. This fee reduction equals the amount of surcharges for asylum and refugee services, fee exemptions and fee waivers.

Included below is a schedule of these new fees. Please note that all applications filed with the INS on or after January 24, 2003 should follow these fee schedules. If you have already sent your application and fee (including the surcharge) to the INS, your application will still be accepted.

Form No.	Description	New Fee
I-17	Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student.	$517
I-90	Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.	$95
I-102	Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record.	$73
I-129	Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker	$96
I-129F	Petition for Alien Fiancé(e).	$81
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative.	$96
I-131	Application for Travel Document.	$80
I-140	Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker.	$99
I-191	Application for Permission to Return to an Unrelinquished Domicile.	$142
I-192	Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant.	$142
I-193	Application for Waiver of Passport and/or Visa.	$142
I-212	Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the US after Deportation or Removal.	$142
I-485	Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status.	$186
I-526	Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.	$290
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.	$102
I-600/600A	Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative/Application for Advance Processing or Orphan Petition.	$332
I-601	Application for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability.	$142
I-612	Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement.	$142
I-751	Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence.	$105
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization.	$88
I-817	Application for Family Unity Benefits.	$102
I-824	Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition.	$103
I-829	Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Condition.	$286
N-400	Application for Naturalization.	$188
N-565	Application for Replacement Naturalization Citizenship Document.	$113
N-600	Application for Certification of Citizenship.	$134
N-643	Application for Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted Child.	$105