December 12, 2002.  The United States has now implemented Special Registration procedures to keep track of nonimmigrants that come to the U.S. every year. Some of the approximately 35 million nonimmigrants that enter the U.S. – and some nonimmigrants already in the U.S. – will be required to register with INS either at a port of entry or a designated INS office in accordance with the special registration procedures. These special procedures also require additional in-person interviews at an INS office and notifications to INS of changes of address, employment, or school. Nonimmigrants who must follow these special procedures will also have to use specially designated ports when they leave the country and report in person to an INS officer at the port on their departure date.

Failure to comply could subject an individual to deportation, arrest, or fines, and any future applications for immigration benefits could be adversely affected.  Furthermore, if a non-immigrant who must follow these procedures fails to depart from the US from a designated port, re-entry into the US could be impacted.

Currently there are two groups of countries whose citizens and nationals must register under the new procedures.  Group 1 consists of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria.  Non-immigrants from these countries must register between November 15, 2002 and December 16, 2002 if the individual:

• is a male born on or before November 15, 1986, and
• was inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 10, 2002,
• did not apply for asylum on or before November 6, 2002, and
• will be in the U.S. at least until December 16, 2002.

Group 2 consists of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.  Non-immigrants from these countries must register at a designated INS Office between December 2, 2002 and January 10, 2003 if the individual:

• is a male born on or before December 2, 1986, and
• was inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 30, 2002
• did not apply for asylum on or before November 22, 2002, and
• will be in the U.S. at least until January 10, 2003.

Specific instructions for Special Registration can be found on the INS website at http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/lawenfor/specialreg/index.htm or from the INS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

For more information on how these special registration procedures may affect you or if you have other immigration law questions please contact Margaret M. Holland, at (617) 482-2440 or at margy.holland@att.net.