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US RELAXES FINGERPRINT RULES FOR CERTAIN VISITORS Over the past few months the INS has been changing a 1991 policy that required immigration officers to fingerprint all first-time visitors from Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan. In July a new rule was issued that exempts certain nationals of these countries from the fingerprint requirement in certain circumstances, "when such action is deemed to be in the interest of foreign policy or national security." The change was brought about as a result of several incidents, including the fingerprinting of an Iranian wrestling team and seven visiting professors from Iran, including one 79 year-old poet. These incidents were used by hard-liners within Iran to advocate ending all contact with the US. The US still lists Iran at the top of the list of states that sponsor terrorism, but since the election last year of moderate President Mohammed Khatemi, cultural relations have improved. The State Department hopes that the new rules will help relations to further improve, and so far the rule has been successfully invoked twice, both times for Iranian wrestlers. The success of the program will be further tested in September when a US wrestling team travels to Tehran for a world tournament. Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk. |
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