Beginning July 6, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services is sending all approved I-129 petitions to the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC).  The KCC will now scan the petitions and transmit them electronically to the overseas processing post. I-129F petitions for fiancés and K-3s are not affected by this change.

As posted on AILA InfoNet (July 12, 2004), the goal of this processing change is to centralize information within the Consular Consolidated Database.  These records will be accessible to the overseas processing posts.  Starting in the fall, a Fraud Prevention Unit will identify fraud indicators, and posts will be able to analyze these indicators during the visa adjudication process.

KCC will not handle individual public case questions, and will continue to refer these inquiries to the overseas embassies and consulates.

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A memo of corrections from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security, regarding the new SEVIS fees was posted on AILA InfoNet at Doc. No.04070962 (July 9, 2004). 

These ICE corrections will become effective September 1, 2004:

·         Publication 69 FR 39814, dated July 1, 2004:

PART—NONIMMIGRANT CLASSES

Sec. 214.13 [Corrected]

·         Page 39825, second column, paragraph (b)(3), fourth line:

August 31, 2004, not May 31, 2004.

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According to an announcement last week by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency plans to formally open its Internet-based appointment system known as InfoPass to New York City area residents.  InfoPass allows the public to go online to schedule a date and time to meet with an immigration information officer, avoiding the need to wait in line. 

USCIS plans to implement InfoPass nationwide by early September this year.  InfoPass is now offered in 12 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Russian and Vietnamese.  USCIS plans to add additional languages to InfoPass.

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The Texas Service Center is having problems receiving I-797s.  If an I-797 has not found its way to either the attorney of record or the petitioner, please send an e-mail to kylesherman@paulhastings.com.

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AILA announced on its InfoNet last week that the California Service Center has been showing an unusually high rate of denials of I-140s.  AILA is requesting that people share any denials that you do not think you would have received in the past by faxing to Crystal Williams at 202-783-7853 or e-mailing to reports@aila.com.

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According to a Department of State press release, on July 12, 2004, the United States Government Printing Office (GPO) released the final Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure the technological components needed to produce the first U.S. biometric passport.  The final RFP provides the specifications for passport book covers, which will contain an electronic computer chip.

Biometric U.S. passports will include a digital image of the bearer’s face and biographic information on the electronic chip embedded in the passport.  This will facilitate verification of identity through facial recognition at U.S. ports of entry through the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT system.  A pilot test for the issuance of biometric passports to U.S. government employees is planned for late December 2004.  Issuance to the general public is expected to begin in the first quarter of calendar year 2005.  By the end of 2005, all domestically produced U.S. passports will be biometric passports.