MAIONA & MAIONA, P.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
171 MILK STREET
SUITE 200
BOSTON, MA 02109
TEL.: (617) 695-2220 • FAX: (617) 695-6377
www.maiona.lawoffice.com

MATTHEW J. MAIONA
mjm2@gis.net

To: Special Registrant
From: Matthew J. Maiona, Esq.

Date: March 4, 2003

Re: Special Registration

IMPORTANT IMMIGRATION UPDATE

Recently the Attorney General of the United States ordered that all male nationals of certain countries born on or before dates listed in each category below must report to their local Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS”) office to register their presence in the United States under a program called “Special Registration.”

Our records indicate that you may come under the following requirements established by the Attorney General for Special Registration:

(1) male national or citizen of one of the countries listed below;

(2) you are over 16 years of age;

(3) you are not a US Citizen, Legal Permanent Resident, asylee or do not currently have a pending asylum application; and

(4) you were last admitted to the US as a nonimmigrant.

Currently, nationals of the following countries must register with INS before the dates listed:

GROUP 1- Must Register by December 16, 2002: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan & Syria. All male nationals or citizens of these five nations born on or before November 15, 1986, who were inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 10, 2002, did not apply for asylum on or before November 6, 2002, and will remain in the U.S. after December 16, 2002 must register. The registration period for this group will be from November 15, 2002 until December 16, 2002.

GROUP 2 – Must Register by January 10, 2003: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen. All male nationals or citizens of these thirteen nations born on or before December 2, 1986, who were inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 30, 2002, did not apply for asylum on or before November 22, 2002, and will remain in the U.S. at least until January 10, 2003. The registration period for this group will be from December 2, 2002 until January 10, 2003.

*********PLEASE NOTE THAT INS HAS GRANTED A TWO WEEK REOPENING OF THE REGISTRATION PERIOD FOR GROUPS #1 & #2 – BEGINNING ON JANUARY 27, 2003 & ENDING ON FEBRUARY 7, 2003.********

GROUP 3 – Must Register by February 21, 2003: Pakistan & Saudi Arabia. All male nationals and citizens of these two nations born before January 13, 1987, who were inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 30, 2002, did not file for asylum on or before December 18, 2002, and will remain in the U.S. after February 21, 2003 must register. The registration period for this group will be from January 13, 2003 until February 21, 2003.

*********PLEASE NOTE THAT INS HAS GRANTED A FOUR WEEK EXTENSION OF THE REGISTRATION PERIOD FOR GROUP #3 – YOU MAY NOW REGISTER UNTIL MARCH 21, 2003.********

GROUP 4 – Must Register by March 28, 2003: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan and Kuwait. All male nationals and citizens of these five nations born before February 24, 1987, who were inspected by the INS and last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before September 30, 2002, did not file for asylum on or before December 18, 2002, and will remain in the U.S. after March 28, 2003 must register. The registration period for this group will be from February 24, 2003 until March 28, 2003.

*********PLEASE NOTE THAT INS HAS GRANTED A FOUR WEEK EXTENSION OF THE REGISTRATION PERIOD FOR GROUP #4 – YOU MAY NOW REGISTER UNTIL APRIL 25, 2003.********

You will be required to report back to the INS if you remain in the US for more than one year after you register. So, if you register on January 10, 2003, you will have to return to INS and report in between January 1 and January 20, 2004.

If you would like information in Arabic, Farsi or Pashto please let me know.

If you are a member of one of these groups and would like assistance in the registration process please call my office for an appointment in assisting you with your special registration at INS.

WARNING:

Please note, the INS has stated that failure to follow the special registration procedures may result in you being considered out of status and deportable. As such, you may be subject to arrest, detention, fines and/or removal from the United States. Additionally, any future application for an immigration benefit from the United States may be adversely impacted. Decisions will be made on an individual basis, depending on the circumstances of each case.

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