USCIS “Special Registration” Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Aliens from Designated Countries

As part of the ongoing development of post-“September 11 ” security regulations, the USCIS (formerly INS) has issued a series of notices that require nonimmigrant foreign nationals of certain countries to personally appear before, register with, and provide requested information to the USCIS by a certain date. Concurrently with implementation of “Special Registration” for persons already staying in the United States, “special registration” of new arrivals to the U.S. from the countries listed below was also implemented for citizens and nationals of those same countries. Persons subject to “special registration”(whether through registration at the time of entry or through the call-in requirements for persons already in the U.S.) have similar obligations to:

---Re-register each year within 10 days of the anniversary of the initial registration (that is, within plus- or minus-10 days of the original registration).

---Report any change of job, school or employment within 10 days of such change (using form AR-11 SR).

---When departing the U.S., depart through one of the designated ports-of-departure for Special Registrants and report in person to the immigration authorities.

For additional clarification of the requirements for Special Registrants, please refer to the USCIS website, particularly the following address: http://uscis.gov/graphics/shared/lawenfor/specialreg/index.htm

SPECIAL REGISTRATION FOR INDIVIDUALS ALREADY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES :

Presently there are four groups of countries that have been designated.

Group #1: Citizens and nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya

•  Male citizens or nationals of these countries who

•  were born on or before November 15, 1986

•  were inspected and last admitte d to the U.S. as nonimmigrants

•  on or before September 10, 2002 and who

•  will remain in the U.S. at least until December 16, 2002

must register with the USCIS at one of specified locations by December 16, 2002 .

New window period to register between January 27 and February 7, 2003.

Group #2: Ci