On January 24, 2003, without advance notice, the Immigration and Naturalization Service lowered many of its filing fees for its applications, effective immediately. The revised fees reflect the removal of the surcharge to fund asylum, refugee and fee waiver applications, pursuant to § 457 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The new fees for each form can be found at the INS website http://www.ins.usdoj.gov . The current forms do not reflect the new fees, so before sending any application, check the INS website to make sure you send the correct fee. Otherwise, your application will be returned.

To date, nationals of 25 countries have been "called-in" to register with the INS. Here are some frequently asked questions developed by the American Immigration Lawyers Foundation regarding this "Special Registration" process. This advisory is not legal advice and does not substitute for the advice of an immigration lawyer familiar with the facts of an individual case

On January 22, Tom Ridge was confirmed as the first Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). On January 24, 2003 the new Department formally came into existence and established its official website. Click on the link below to access the website: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/
The Immigration and Naturalization Service will be merged into this new Department on March 1, 2003.

We hope this newsletter serves as a helpful source of immigration and other information to you. If we have met our purpose, please share it with family, friends, or colleagues who may also benefit. Just click "tell a friend" on the sidebar. As always, your support is appreciated!

All categories of business immigration, including unskilled workers, continue to be current, which means that all workers with approved visa numbers can apply for adjustment of status or consular processing. If you have an approved I140 and have not applied for adjustment of status (the final phase of the permanent residence application), now is the time to do it.

Badmus Immigration Law Firm wishes to thank all of you who have referred friends, family, or associates to our firm. We appreciate the confidence you have placed in us.