LIFE announces a temporary restoration of the once-famous Section 245(i) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. As explained to 'Inostranets' by the law firm of Daniel Retter, from 1994 to 1997 every illegal immigrant who theoretically had the right to a green card (for example, being married to a U.S. resident or being an outstanding person) could pay a fine of $1,000 and obtain legal status. In 1997, Section 245(i) was repealed, and crackdowns on illegal immigrants became extremely severe – deportation with a ban on entry for 3 or 10 years, or even lifetime.
Now all illegal immigrants who have at least some grounds to apply for a green card (marriage to a U.S. resident, a petition from an employer, etc.) and managed to submit the corresponding petition to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) before April 30, 2001, get a chance to come out of hiding by paying $1,000.
In addition, LIFE introduced a new nonimmigrant visa V and expanded the scope of the K visa. Both innovations are intended to ease the process of reuniting U.S. residents with their foreign spouses, children, and parents.
The problem is that the process of obtaining a green card for close relatives of U.S. residents can take 4 years or even longer. And if they have clearly expressed their immigration intentions, they cannot enter the United States on a tourist visa, a student visa, or any other visa. Moreover, there is a strict quota for close relatives of non-citizens of the United States, which further delays the relocation process. Now they will be able to obtain a V visa, on that basis live and work in America, and wait for a green card on site. However, for now, the V visa will only be issued to those whose documents have been under review by the INS for at least three years. Also, close relatives of green card holders already in the United States, even if illegally, have the right to a V visa. They will not have to pay any fine for their illegal status.
As for the K visa, previously it was issued only to fiancés and fiancées of U.S. residents coming to the country for the purpose of marriage. Now spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens will also be able to get a K visa. Despite the fact that their entry was never subject to a quota, the mother or wife of a U.S. citizen also had to wait quite a long time for a green card – a year or more. Now they can spend the waiting time directly in America, together with their beloved son or husband, reports 'Inostranets'.
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP – AFTER ADOPTION
On February 27, a law took effect in the United States providing for automatic citizenship for children under 18 adopted by U.S. citizens abroad. On that day, 75,000 adopted children became U.S. citizens without going through burdensome bureaucratic procedures.
Now children from other countries adopted by U.S. citizens will have the same rights as children born in the United States. For this, it is enough that at least one of the adoptive parents is a U.S. citizen.
Americans adopt far more children than citizens of other countries. Last year, 18,477 children found adoptive parents in America, reports Visas.ru.
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