[August 15, 2004]

¼                 that the Department of State (DOS) has discontinued domestic visa re-issuances for visas C, E, H, I, L, O and P?

¼                 that previously, these visas could have been re-stamped in the U.S.?

¼                 that,  now, the Department of State encourages all applicants to apply for new visas in their home countries; or, if the alien is not traveling to his or her home country, they may apply at a U.S. visa processing post in Canada and Mexico provided a previous appointment has been made?

¼                 that the Santangelo Group has published a major study “Do Visa Delays Hurt U.S. Businesses?

¼                 that the report was based on a survey of 734 members of 8 international trade associations and found that U.S. companies suffered $30.7 billion in indirect costs, between July 2002 and March 2004 because of delays or denials in business visa processing?

¼                 that of the 734 companies surveyed, 141 responded; 73% of the latter said they are experiencing or have experienced problems in business visa processing; 60% responded that they had suffered a “material impact” from processing delays and denials?

¼            that visa applicants from China, India and Russia were identified as having the greatest difficulty?

¼                that the Social Security Administration is renewing its computer matching program with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under which the DHS agrees to disclose information regarding certain aliens who may, as a result of their current and planned absences from the U.S., be subject to non-payment of benefits in programs administered by the SSA?

¼            that under the computer-matching program, the Department of Homeland Security provides the SSA with an electronic file information about resident aliens who are SSI recipients and who have left or plan to leave the U.S. for any period of 30 days?

¼            that the DHS also provides the SSA with an electronic file containing information on deported or removed aliens who have social security numbers?

¼                 that a great number of complaints  to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resulted in significant changes, particularly with respect to the issuance of requests for evidence (RFE’s)?

¼            that over the last two years, the agency had operated under a now supposedly rescinded “zero tolerance” policy with respect to applications and petitions for immigration benefits, narrowing adjudication standards resulting in excessive issuance of RFE’s?

¼            that the USCIS has recently undertaken a re-engineering effort to remedy the situation, examining and altering procedures to reduce steps in the adjudication process that are perceived as redundant or of little value?

¼            that it looks as if less RFEs will be issued – but what it really does – it allows USCIS to give quick denials without RFEs?

¼            that increased public and political scrutiny of certain non-immigrant visa categories, in particular – the H-1B and L-1 categories – has also had an effect on the rate of RFE issuance?

¼                 that USCIS has launched a new pilot program at Los Angeles that will permit green card renewals in a one-week time frame?

¼            that the pilot program is limited to individuals who are eligible to electronically file Form I-90?

¼            that electronic filing is prohibited if the foreign nationals’ current green card was issued before his or her 14^th birthday and the applicant has reached his 14^th birthday, or if the applicant has conditional permanent residency and seeks to remove those conditions?

¼            that under the pilot, permanent residents electronically file Form I-90 (the Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card) at the USCIS’s online filing website, https://egov.immigration.gov/efile/ (Note that electronic filers must first establish a user account and password at the e-filing website)?

¼            that after completing and submitting the form, the foreign national will receive a confirmation receipt that must be printed from the e-file website and retained?

¼             that the receipt will direct the foreign national to call a toll-free phone number to make an appointment with a USCIS Application Support Center to be fingerprinted and photographed?

¼            that on the day of the appointment, the applicant must bring a copy of the electronically filed Form I-90, a copy of the confirmation receipt, the foreign national’s expired or expiring Form I-551 permanent resident card or, if the foreign national no longer possesses the card, a government-issued photo ID, and legal evidence of any name change (i.e., marriage certificate, divorce decree)?

¼            that it is expected that the foreign national will receive the new Form I-551 permanent residence card within three to five business days after the appointment?