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U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has evaluated the participation of Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Uruguay in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and has decided to allow Belgium to continue participating in the VWP provisionally for one year, after which time another evaluation will be conducted. After May 15, 2003, citizens of Belgium who wish to travel to the U.S. under the VWP must present a machine-readable passport issued by Belgium. The Attorney General has decided to continue Italy and Portugal in the program, but has decided to terminate Uruguay, effective after April 15, 2003. After that date, nationals of Uruguay who wish to travel to the U.S. for business or pleasure must acquire a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy (http://www.us-immigration.com/store/browse/showProduct/711) before their arrival in the U.S.
DOJ Publishes Table of Regulatory Changes (3/10/03)
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has published a table of changes of cross-references in parts of the new 8 CFR (http://www.us-immigration.com/store/browse/showProduct/409) chapter V to other parts of chapter V, and other conforming changes. The DOJ published the table on March 5, 2003. The regulatory changes were made as part of the reorganization of certain INS functions under the new Department of Homeland Security. The new final rule notes that changes to section citations within the same part of chapter V were already accomplished in the earlier final rule, published on February 28. The new final rule sets forth the tables of citation changes for citations to sections in other parts of both chapters I and V.
DOJ Implements Regulatory Transfer of INS Functions to DHS (3/3/03)
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule on February 28, 2003, effective the same day, implementing the regulatory transfer of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)'s service, enforcement, and administrative functions to the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA). The final rule makes no substantive change in the regulations; it is a technical rule dividing the regulations for purposes of the transfer of authorities under the HSA. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge has further refined the reorganization of functions within the DHS, the supplementary information notes, and a further division of the regulations is expected to be made. The DOJ noted that, after the final rule makes the necessary division of regulations within 8 CFR to reflect the transfer of INS authorities, the Secretary of Homeland Security can make substantive changes to INS rules, the Attorney General can make substantive c!
hanges to Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) rules, and the Secretary and the Attorney General can consult each other when contemplating changes in those rules that affect both the EOIR and the INS. Retained within the DOJ, under the direction of the Attorney General, are the functions of the EOIR, among other things.
INS Confirms Termination of Old Naturalization Form (3/3/03)
The INS issued a notice on February 28, 2003, confirming that, effective on March 31, 2003, only versions of the Application for Naturalization(Form N-400) dated May 31, 2001 (http://www.us-immigration.com/store/browse/showProduct/103), or later will be acceptable for persons applying for U.S. citizenship. The revised forms include recent legislative changes, clarify the information required from applicants, eliminate obsolete questions, and update the data collection process, the INS explained. The notice states that all Forms N-400 that are mailed, postmarked, or otherwise filed on or after March 31, 2003, must bear the edition date of May 31, 2001, or later. The INS noted that the old version of the naturalization application, if it was properly filed at an INS Service Center before March 31, 2003, will be processed to completio!
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