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SPECIAL
REGISTRATION
Changes
to National Security Entry/Exit Registration
System (NSEERS): Department of Homeland
Security Fact Sheet
02
December 2003
The Department of Homeland Security
has decided to suspend the National
Security Entry/Exit Registration System
(NSEERS) re-registration requirement
that mandated aliens to re-register
after 30-days and one year of continuous
presence in the United States. The
new process is outlined in the interim
rule published in the Federal Register.
NSEERS established a national registry
for temporary foreign visitors (non-immigrant
aliens) arriving from certain countries,
or who meet a combination of intelligence-based
criteria, and are identified as presenting
an elevated national security concern.
The program has collected detailed
information about the background and
purpose of an individual’s visit to
the United States, the periodic verification
of their location and activities,
and departure confirmation.
NSEERS was the first step taken by
the Department of Justice and then
DHS in order to comply with the development
of the Congressionally- mandated requirement
for a comprehensive entry-exit program
by 2005. The domestic registration
program included citizens or nationals
from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya,
Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Saudi Arabia,
Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab
Emirates, and Yemen. However, to date,
individuals from more than 150 countries
have been registered in the NSEERS
program. Most of the foreign visitors
registered are students, individuals
in the U.S. on extended business travel,
or individuals visiting family members
for lengthy periods.
The requirement to register does
not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful
permanent residents (green card holders),
refugees, asylum applicants, asylum
grantees, and diplomats or others
admitted under "A" or "G" visas.
At the time of initial registration,
all individuals were given instructions
that they had to re-register in one
year, or after thirty days if initially
registered at a port-of-entry. The
numbers who were to re-register were
expected to vary from last year because
some individuals may have left the
country; traveled outside and back
into the country (changing their one-year
anniversary date to the most recent
entry registration date); or adjusted
their status, eliminating the need
for re-registration.
Previous
Re-Registration Requirements:
All individuals registered under
NSEERS were required to re-register
after thirty days if initially registered
at a port-of-entry, and annually if
they are remaining in the United States
past one year. This notice was given
to individuals at the time of registration,
either at a designated port of entry
or a Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services office.
The annual anniversary date for re-registration
is based on the last time that an
individual registered. The annual
interview requirements of those individuals
subject to the first call-in registration,
which began on November 15, 2002,
began November 5, 2003. The annual
interviews of those individuals who
registered at a port of entry, beginning
September 11, 2002, began on the one-year
anniversary of their date of registration.
Individuals have a ten-day window
in which to show up for their annual
interview. In other words, they can
report for their interview within
ten days after their anniversary date.
Those individuals required to report
for their yearly interview were expected
to return to the same office at which
they registered last year. If they
had moved, they would go to the nearest
ICE or CIS office or sub-office.
The willful failure to do so is a
criminal violation of the Immigration
and Nationality Act, and the willful
failure to register also would render
an alien deportable.
The NSEERS program is a valuable
first step towards a more comprehensive
entry-exit system – US-VISIT. Congress
mandated that a comprehensive entry-exit
program be developed by 2005.
Changes
Made By the New Rule:
There will no longer be a 30-day
or one-year re-registration requirement,
effective with the publishing of the
new rule in the Federal Register.
In place of the previous requirement,
the new rule will allow DHS, as a
matter of discretion, to notify individual
nonimmigrant aliens subject to NSEERS
registration to appear for one or
more additional continuing registration
interviews in those particular cases
where it may be necessary to determine
whether the alien is complying with
the conditions of his or her nonimmigrant
visa status and admission.
The rule also provides that when
an alien who is monitored under Student
and Exchange Visitor Information System
(SEVIS) notifies DHS of a change of
address or change of educational institution
through SEVIS, it also constitutes
a notification for the purposes of
NSEERS registration.
NSEERS
Background:
On September 11, 2002, the U.S. began
implementation of NSEERS at U.S. ports
of entry. On November 5, 2002, the
domestic call-in registration began.
Congress required the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) to
implement a comprehensive entry-exit
program in 1996. That system must
be in place by 2005. NSEERS is the
first step in fulfilling that Congressional
mandate.
NSEERS promotes several important
national security objectives:
- NSEERS allows the United States
to run the fingerprints of aliens
who may present elevated national
security concerns against a database
of wanted criminals and known terrorists;
- NSEERS enables DHS to determine
instantly when such an alien has
overstayed his visa, which was the
case with three of the 9/11 hijackers);
- NSEERS enables DHS to verify that
an alien in the United States on
a temporary visa is doing what he
said he would be doing, and living
where he said he would live.
The countries prioritized for special
registration were selected because:
- All of these countries are places
where Al-Qaeda or other terrorist
organizations have been active,
or where the United States has other
national security concerns;
- This was not an exclusive list—all
non-immigrant visitors from other
countries eventually will be included
as the US-VISIT program is implemented.
NSEERS
General Information:
The majority of those required to
register under NSEERS complied and
fulfilled this requirement successfully.
It is the individual’s responsibility
to comply with US immigration law
and maintain legal status while in
the United States. There were a small
number of individuals who temporarily
were kept in detention while they
were processed for immigration violations
during the domestic enrollment portion
of the program.
As of September 30, 2003, individuals
from 150 countries have complied with
the NSEERS registration requirements
for a total of 290,526 registrations,
which includes those registering both
at Ports-of-Entry (POEs) and the former
INS district offices nationwide.
The registrations performed are broken
down in the following way: 207,007
registrations (93,741 individuals)
at the POEs, and 83,519 individuals
at the former INS offices.
NSEERS requirements applied only
to certain non-immigrant aliens. These
requirements do NOT include U.S. citizens,
lawful permanent residents (green
card holders), refugees, asylum applicants
(who filed before November 22, 2002),
asylum grantees, and diplomats or
others admitted under A or G visas.
European countries have had similar
registration systems in place for
decades.
NSEERS
Statistics Through September 30, 2003:
- Total Number of Registrations:
290,526
- Total Number of Individuals Registered:
177,260
- Port-of-Entry Registration
- Total Port of Entry Registration:
207,007
- Number of Individuals: 93,741
- Domestic Registration Total Domestic
Registrations: 83,519
- Referred to Investigation Notices
to Appear Issued: 13,799
- Total Number Detained: 2,870
- Total Number In Custody: 23
- Total Number of Criminals: 143
DHS
Q&A on Changes to NSEERS
December 1, 2003
Q:
What is being announced?
A:
The Department of Homeland Security
has suspended the 30-day and annual
interview requirements from the special
registration process for certain non-immigrants.
An interim rule will be published
in the Federal Register on December
2, 2003, which provides for a 60-day
public comment period. Back
to top.
Q:
Was this decision made as a result
of recent public pressure?
A:
No. DHS have been reviewing NSEERS
information for the past few months
to determine if NSEERS is being executed
in the most productive and effective
manner, or if it needs to be changed
given that the Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System (SEVIS),
US-VISIT, and other databases are
available now but were not available
at the inception of NSEERS. Back
to top.
Q:
Why continue with any NSEERS activities--you
haven't caught any terrorists and
you have just upset thousands of people
based on their race and religion?
A:
We have caught suspected terrorists
under NSEERS. While they may not be
charged with terrorism grounds of
inadmissibility or removability, that
is not an indication of whether terrorists
were caught. A non-immigrant visitor
who overstays a visa, is present without
inspection, commits a crime or fraud
is just as removable under those grounds
as terrorism grounds. NSEERS never
was based on race nor religion. Non-immigrant
visitors from 150 countries have complied
with NSEERS requirements. Back
to top.
Q:
Will re-registration be discontinued?
A:
In place of the previous requirement,
the new rule will allow DHS, as a
matter of discretion, to notify individual
nonimmigrant visitors subject to NSEERS
registration to appear for one or
more additional continuing registration
interviews in those particular cases
where it may be necessary to determine
whether the visitor is complying with
the conditions of his or her nonimmigrant
visa status and admission. Back
to top.
Q:
Will anyone who needed to re-register
be penalized if they did not do so?
A:
Re-registering with DHS is a condition
for maintaining legal non-immigrant
status in the U.S.. Failing to re-register
is a failure to comply with the terms
of a non-immigrant admission, making
a person removable. Back
to top.
Q:
Is it fair that some of the walk-in
registrants have to re-register under
the threat of breaking the law when
others whose one year anniversary
that falls later won't have to do
so and are not threatened as a result?
A:
Whenever a law or regulation is changed,
it affects the activity required by
people to be in compliance with the
law; changing registration requirements
is not unique in that regard. DHS
will continue to have the ability
to require visitors to check in periodically
with the department and will need
to use that tool on occasion so some
visitors who are currently scheduled
to re-register in April may still
be asked to do so individually even
after the new regulation eliminates
the group re-registration requirement.
Back to top.
Q:
Why hasn't DHS publicized the need
to re-register up till now?
A:
Individuals
were provided information at the time
of their initial registration and
any subsequent registration, such
as at a port-of-entry when returning
from a trip out of the U.S., notifying
them of the requirement to re-register.
Back to top.
Q:
What will replace NSEERS in the future?
A:
SEVIS is now operating and US-VISIT
will begin soon. These two programs
take care of most of the NSEERS requirements.
NSEERS was intended to be the first
step towards a full entry-exit program.
Back to top.
Q:
With US-VISIT starting in January,
we will be making our transition away
from NSEERS, as intended. Is the announcement
an acknowledgement that NSEERS was
a failure?
A:
No.
NSEERS registration and departure
procedures have proven valuable. DHS
will continue to record non-immigrant
visitors’ entry to and exit from the
U.S. in US-VISIT. With respect to
having non-immigrant visitors register
periodically while in the U.S., DHS
will continue to have that ability
for those non-immigrant visitors that
warrant continued verification of
compliance with the terms of their
admission. Back
to top.
Registration
Deadline Extended for Group III and
IV Countries
14
Feb 2003
The Department of
Justice has extended the registration
periods for certain temporary foreign
visitors required to enroll under
the National Security Entry Exit Registration
System (NSEERS).
Temporary foreign
visitors who are males sixteen years
of age or older, are nationals or
citizens of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia,
and were present in the United States
before October 1, 2002, are being
permitted an additional four weeks
to register until March 21, 2003.
Back to top.
Temporary foreign
visitors who are males sixteen years
of age or older, are nationals or
citizens of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia,
Jordan or Kuwait, and were present
in the United States before October
1, 2002, are being permitted an additional
four weeks to register. The registration
period for this group will now be
effective from February 24, 2003 until
April 25, 2003.
Most individuals required
to register are students, those present
on extended business travel or visiting
family members for a prolonged period.
This requirement does not apply U.S.
citizens, lawful permanent residents
(green card holders), refugees, asylum
applicants, asylum grantees, and diplomats
or others admitted under "A" or "G"
visas. Back to top.
Prosecutorial discretion
will be considered if a registrant
has a currently-filed request or application
for a benefit, appears to be immediately
and prima facie eligible for the benefit
sought, and if no adverse or disqualifying
information is developed through indices
checks or other sources.
Embassy officials
will be permitted to be present at
INS offices to assist temporary foreign
visitors who are required to enroll
in NSEERS. Embassy officials will
have access to registrants who are
waiting to have their interviews,
in order to consult with them. Back
to top.
For a list of local
offices or sub-offices in respective
states, please visit the INS website
at http://www.ins.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/alphaa.htm.
Five
Additional Countries Added to Call-In
Registration (Group 4)
16 Jan 2003
Nonimmigrant males
aged 16 or over who are citizens or
nationals of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia,
Jordan or Kuwait, and who last entered
the U.S. on or before September 30,
2002, will now be subject to call-in
special registration (see below
for details of program) between February
24, 2003 and March 28, 2003. Back
to top.
Special
Registration Group 1 and 2 Deadlines
Extended
16 Jan 2003
Those subject to the
December 16, 2002 (males 16 and over,
last admitted to the U.S. on or before
September 30, 2002, and who are citizens
or nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya,
Syria, Sudan--Group 1) and January
10, 2003 (males 16 and over, last
admitted to the U.S. on or before
September 30, 2002, who are citizens
or nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria,
Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco,
North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia,
Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, or
Yemen--Group 2), deadlines for call-in
NSEERS special registration will have
an additional window period of January
27, 2003, to February 7, 2003, to
register. Back to top.
Advance
Parolees Not Subject to Special Registration
20 Dec 2002
According to the INS
General Counsel's office, persons
admitted to the United States under
advance parole are considered "parolees"
for NSEERS purposes and are not subject
to call-in Special Registration. Back
to top.
Armenia
Removed from Special Registration
Program
16
Dec 2002
The State Department
has removed Armenia from the National
Security Entry-Exit Registration System
(NSEERS) after determining that its
inclusion was a mistake. Back to top.
Armenia
Pakistan & Saudi Arabia (Group 3)
Added to Special Registration Call-In
Program
Dec. 16, 2002
Beginning January
13, 2003, certain nonimmigrant aliens
who are either citizens or nationals
of Armenia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
are required to enroll with the National
Security Entry--Exit Registration
System (NSEERS) by appearing personally
before, registering with, and providing
requested information to the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) on
or before February 21, 2003. Below
are the criteria for those from these
3 countries who must register in person
at local INS offices:
- males aged 16 years
or older (born on or before January
13, 1987);
- last admitted to
the United States on or before September
30, 2002;
- will remain in
the United States after February
21, 2003;
- citizens or nationals
Armenia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia
(including who hold dual citizenship/nationality).
Back to top.
Those who fit the
above criteria must go to their local
Immigration and Naturalization Service
office and register in person and
provide additional information between
January 13, 2003, and February 21,
2003 (inclusive).
Persons fitting the
above criteria, but who have an application
for asylum pending on the date of
publication of this Notice (December
16, 2002) have already provided sufficient
information in the application for
asylum, along with fingerprints, to
warrant exclusion from this Notice.
Moreover, those who have been granted
asylum need not comply with this notice.
Back to top.
In addition, lawful
permanent residents and persons in
"A" or "G" nonimmigrant
status need not comply with this notice.
Previous Notices have
applied to certain nonimmigrant nationals
or citizens of Afghanistan, Algeria,
Bahrain, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon,
Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman,
Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia,
United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Back
to top.
Those who are required
to register under this notice must
register annually (within 10 days
of the anniversary of first registration)
until further notice.
A willful failure
to comply with the requirements of
this Notice constitutes a failure
to maintain nonimmigrant status. Those
who fail to comply with the provisions
of this Notice are deportable, unless
they establish to the satisfaction
of the Attorney General that such
failure was reasonably excusable or
was not willful. Finally, if an alien
subject to this Notice fails, without
good cause, to comply with the requirement
to report to an inspecting officer
of the Immigration and Naturalization
Service when departing the United
States, that person shall thereafter
be presumed to be inadmissible under,
but not limited to, section 212(a)(3)(A)(ii)
of the Act, 8 USC 1182(a)(3)(A)(ii).
Back to top.
In addition to the
above, all those required to register
shall notify the INS, through the
filing of Form AR-11, of any change
of address within 10 days of such
change of address. Failure to file
Form AR-11 may subject a person to
prosecution, and may render him deportable.
Back to top.
If it becomes necessary
to place a person fitting the above
criteria in removal proceedings, INS
may use the most recent address provided
for service of the Notice to Appear.
Back to top.
Information to be
provided during special registration
process includes:
- Answering questions
under oath before an immigration
officer; these answers shall be
recorded by the immigration officer;
- Presenting to such
immigration officer:
- travel documents,
including passport and Form
I-94 issued upon admission,
and any other forms of government-issued
identification;
- Proof of residence,
such as, but not limited to,
title to land or a lease or
a rental agreement, and, if
applicable, proof of matriculation
at an educational institution,
and, if applicable, proof of
employment; and
- Such other
information as is requested
by the immigration officer;
and
- Shall be fingerprinted
and photographed by the immigration
officer.
Back to top.
Further
Expansion of Special Registration
(Group 2)
November
22, 2002
Effective December
2, 2002, certain nonimmigrant aliens
who are citizens or nationals of Afghanistan,
Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea,
Lebanon, Morocco, North
Korea, Oman, Qatar,
Somalia, Tunisia, United
Arab Emirates, or Yemen
must appear before, register with,
and provide requested information
to the Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS) on or before January
10, 2003. Back to top.
This "special
registration" applies to nonimmigrant
aliens who:
- are males born
on or before December 2, 1986
(males 16 years or older);
- are nationals or
citizens of Afghanistan,
Algeria, Bahrain,
Eritrea, Lebanon,
Morocco, North Korea,
Oman, Qatar, Somalia,
Tunisia, United Arab Emirates,
or Yemen;
- were inspected
by the INS and last admitted to
the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on
or before September 30, 2002;
and who will remain in the U.S.
until at least January 10, 2003;
- Those who have,
November 22, 2002, applied for asylum,
are excluded from this Notice. Back
to top.
Those who are required
to register under this notice must
register annually (within 10 days
of the anniversary of first registration)
until further notice.
A willful failure
to comply with the requirements of
this Notice constitutes a failure
to maintain nonimmigrant status. Those
who fail to comply with the provisions
of this Notice are deportable, unless
they establish to the satisfaction
of the Attorney General that such
failure was reasonably excusable or
was not willful. Finally, if an alien
subject to this Notice fails, without
good cause, to comply with the requirement
to report to an inspecting officer
of the Immigration and Naturalization
Service when departing the United
States, that person shall thereafter
be presumed to be inadmissible under,
but not limited to, section 212(a)(3)(A)(ii)
of the Act, 8 USC 1182(a)(3)(A)(ii).
Back to top.
In addition to the
above, all those required to register
shall notify the INS, through the
filing of Form AR-11, of any change
of address within 10 days of such
change of address. Failure to file
Form AR-11 may subject a person to
prosecution, and may render him deportable.
Back to top.
If it becomes necessary
to place a person fitting the above
criteria in removal proceedings, INS
may use the most recent address provided
for service of the Notice to Appear.
Back to top.
Information to be
provided during special registration
process includes:
- Answering questions
under oath before an immigration
officer; these answers shall be
recorded by the immigration officer;
- Presenting to such
immigration officer:
- travel documents,
including passport and Form
I-94 issued upon admission,
and any other forms of government-issued
identification;
- Proof of residence,
such as, but not limited to,
title to land or a lease or
a rental agreement, and, if
applicable, proof of matriculation
at an educational institution,
and, if applicable, proof of
employment; and
- Such other
information as is requested
by the immigration officer;
and
- Shall be fingerprinted
and photographed by the immigration
officer.
For further information
relating to this notice and information
about local office hours and locations,
the public may call the National Customer
Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or
(TTY) 1-800- 767-1833, or visit the
INS
Web site.
Back to top.
INS
To Expand Special Registration Program
(excerpts
taken from internal INS memo)
25 Sept, 2002
Arriving nonimmigrants
subject to special registration, or
NSEERS, will be registered (unless
exempt) at arriving ports of entry
(POB). When fully implemented, there
will be four methods by which a nonimmigrant
will be identified for special registration:
(1) citizens or nationals of countries
designated through publication of
notice in the Federal Register; (2)
notification through Interagency Border
Inspection System (IBIS); (3) preexisting
criteria as defined by the Attorney
General; and (4) officer discretion.
This special registration criteria
will be implemented in a phased approach
beginning September 11, 2002, and
expanded on October 1, 2002.
These criteria may
be updated routinely in the future
based on current national security,
law enforcement or intelligence information.
Back to top.
September 11,
2002 Through September 30, 2002
The Attorney General,
in consultation with the Secretary
of State (SOS), may designate that
nonimmigrants who are citizens or
nationals of certain countries be
subject to special registration by
way of publication in the Federal
Register. In addition, an inspecting
officer will subject a nonimmigrant
to special registration if the officer
has a reason to believe that the person
is a citizen or national or a country
designated by the Attorney General
as subject to special registration
and published in the Federal Register.
For example, a case that might warrant
such registration could be a nonimmigrant
alien who is a dual national and is
applying for admission as a national
of a country not subject to special
registration. Back to top.
Five countries are
currently subject to special registration
(Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria).
On September 11, 2002, most nonimmigrants
14 or older who are citizens or nationals
of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan or Syria
will be registered pursuant to the
new special registration procedures.
If the inspecting officer learns that
a nonimmigrant possesses dual nationality
from one of these five countries and
is applying for admission using another
nationality not subject to special
registration, the officer shall refer
the nonimmigrant for special registration.
Back to top.
October 1, 2002
Inspecting officers
will continue to register nonimmigrants
applying for admission to the U.S.
for Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria.
On October 1, 2002, inspecting officers
are also required to specially register
nonimmigrants in accordance with the
following. Back to top.
The inspecting officer
will receive "special registration"
lookouts via IBIS during their primary
inspection of certain nonimmigrants
who have been identified by the Attorney
General or SOS as being subject to
special registration. In addition,
nonimmigrants exempted from special
registration by the Attorney General
or Secretary of State will also be
identified through the lookout system.
These alerts will be placed in IBIS
by a Department of State consular
officer. The consular officer will
identify such aliens through the Consular
Lookout and Support System (CLASS),
which will in turn notify IBIS through
the National Automated Lookout System
(NAILS). Back to top.
The lookout will direct
the officer to register the nonimmigrant
or exempt the nonimmigrant from special
registration. A lookout will either
bear the code "NSER" and
will contain remarks stating that
the nonimmigrant should be referred
to secondary for special registration,
or it will bear the code "EXMT"
and will contain remarks stating that
the nonimmigrant should not be referred
to secondary for special registration.
Back to top.
The Attorney General
has determined under his authority
to established pre-existing criteria
warranting special registration of
certain nonimmigrant aliens who are
citizens or nationals, or who an inspecting
officer has reason to believe are
citizens or nationals of, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, and Yemen who are males
between 16 and 45 years of age. It
is imperative that officers remain
vigilant and verify the age of all
males from these countries in order
to properly identify those subject
to special registration. Back to top.
Finally, any nonimmigrant,
regardless of nationality, must be
specially registered when the inspecting
officer has reason to believe that
s/he meets preexisting criteria as
determined by the Attorney General
that would indicate that such alien's
presence in the U.S. warrants monitoring
in the interest of national security.
In determining whether to exercise
his/her discretion to require special
registration, the inspecting officer
may only consider the following pre-existing
criteria established by the Attorney
General:
- nonimmigrant alien
has made unexplained trips to Iran,
Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, North
Korea, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan,
Yemen, Egypt, Somalia, Pakistan,
Indonesia, or Malaysia, or the alien's
explanation of such trips lacks
credibility;
- nonimmigrant has
engaged in other travel, not well
explained by job or other legitimate
circumstances;
- nonimmigrant has
previously overstayed in the US
on a nonimmigrant visa, and monitoring
is now appropriate in the interest
of national security;
- nonimmigrant meets
characterization established by
current intelligence updates and
advisories;
- nonimmigrant is
identified by state, local or federal
law enforcement as requiring monitoring
in the interest of national security;
- nonimmigrant's
behavior, demeanor or answers indicate
that s/he should be monitored in
the interest of national security;
- nonimmigrant provides
information that causes the immigration
officer to reasonably determine
that s/he requires monitoring in
the interest of national security.
Back to top.
The officer's discretionary
determination to refer a nonimmigrant
to special registration must be concurred
on by a supervisory immigration officer
at a level to be determined by the
district director. Back to top.
Special
Registration for Nonimmigrants of
Certain Countries
11
Sept 2002
Effective October
1, 2002, nationals and citizens of
Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria,
along with others who have been designated
by the Department of State at U.S.
Consulates and Embassies must comply
with new special registration requirements
when entering and at various times
during their presence in the United
States. (see INS information
page on Special
Registration). Back
to top.
The purpose of registration
is to allow the U.S. government to
track the arrival and departure of
nonimmigrants who enter the United
States. Registration procedures will
require certain nonimmigrants to be
fingerprinted and photographed when
entering the United States, and if
they stay 30 days or more, such nonimmigrants
must appear in person at an INS office,
and must notify the Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) when
changing addresses, employment, or
school. In addition, those subject
to the registration requirements must
also notify INS when leaving the United
States, and must do so by reporting
to an INS officer at designated
ports of departure.
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To report a change
of address, employment or educational
institution, nonimmigrants subject
to special registration should complete
INS Form AR-11
(download form at this
link, or order by calling 1-800-870-3576)
and mail completed form to:
U.S. Department of
Justice
Immigration and Naturalization Service
HQ ORM
425 Eye Street, NW
ULLICO 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20536
For more extensive
information on the special registration
requirement, go to the INS Special
Registration page.
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