USCIS to engage public, providers on proposed I-601 stateside processing on Jan. 10th

USCIS Office of Public Engagement: I-601 Notice of Intent

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services sent this bulletin at 01/06/2012 10:32 AM EST

Dear Stakeholders-

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register outlining a proposed change to its current process for the filing and adjudication of waivers of inadmissibility relating to unlawful presence.

The proposed process would allow certain individuals seeking permanent residence through their U.S. citizen immediate relatives to apply for waivers of inadmissibility before leaving the U.S. for their interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas.

The proposal reflects the Administration’s steadfast commitment to maintaining the integrity of immigration law, promoting family unity and improving overall efficiency in the immigration system. This change would decrease the time eligible individuals are separated from their U.S. citizen relatives and would only apply in cases where U.S. citizens would suffer extreme hardship as a result of prolonged separation.

USCIS will host a stakeholder engagement on January 10, 2012 at 2:00 pm (EST) to provide an overview of how these proposed process changes may affect filing and adjudication as well as address questions and concerns from stakeholders. Please see the [below] invitation for more information.

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Engagement Invitation

Form I-601 Notice of Intent

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 @ 2:00 pm (EST)

Room 8008, 111 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you to participate in a stakeholder engagement to discuss the Notice of Intent posted in the Federal Register outlining a plan to streamline the process of filing Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.  The notice of intent outlines a process that would allow certain individuals who are seeking permanent residence and are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to apply for and be granted provisional waivers of inadmissibility before leaving the U.S. for consular processing of their immigrant visa applications. This would apply to individuals whose only ground of inadmissibility is unlawful presence.  During this session, USCIS will provide an overview of how these proposed process changes may affect filing and adjudication and address questions from stakeholders.

To Participate in the Session

Any interested parties may participate in this event in person or by telephone. To RSVP, please contact the Office of Public Engagement at public.engagement@dhs.gov. Please note in person seating will be limited due to space availability. Stakeholders who RSVP first will be given priority. Additionally, in person participation will be limited to one person per organization or practice. To join in person, please reference “I-601 – In Person” in the subject line of your message  To join by teleconference, please reference “I-601 – By Phone” in the subject line of your message.  Please include your full name and the organization you represent in the body of the email.

To Join the Teleconference

Please use the information below to join the teleconference:

Inside the US: 1-888-957-9843

Outside the US: 1-415-228-5042

Passcode: 601

We look forward to engaging with you!"