Immigration News (2003)

Read the 2003 news and information about immigration issues that affect you. We provide short summaries of the announcements, news and article about immigration to the United States. Many have links to more information on that topic.

Dec. 24, 2003

HHS Reopens Physician Waiver Program for Underserved Areas

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently reopened its J-1 waiver program for physicians working in underserved areas. The program was closed several months ago without warning or explanation. When the waiver program reopened, the agency announced several additional rules that will significantly reduce the number of physicians that will be eligible for waivers.

Dec. 24, 2003

IRS Revises Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Applications

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) now requires applications for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to use the revised Form W-7. The applicant must also prove that the ITIN will be used for tax administration purposes. The IRS also will reduce the number of documents it will accept as proof of identity to obtain an ITIN. The ITIN card will now come in the form of an authorization letter.

Read more about these revisions on the IRS website.

Dec. 18, 2003

Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Issues Estimates on H-1B Cap

Many foreign nationals, employers and practitioners are concerned about the 65,000 cap on the number of H-1B visas to be issued in the 2003-2004 fiscal year. According to the most recent information available, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) predicts that the cap may be reached in the Spring of 2004.

Read more about the H-1B Cap.

Dec. 18, 2003

MANTIS Clearances Are Valid for 12 Months

The Department of State issued a cable to all posts confirming that the MANTIS security clearances for participants in government-sponsored programs will be valid for a full twelve months. The applicant must be returning to the same program or activity, and the consulate or embassy must have sufficient evidence to verify the earlier clearance.

Dec. 18, 2003

Department of Homeland Security to Collect Biometric and Biographic Data

The Department of Homeland Security announced that it may collect biometric and biographic data on foreign nationals who enter the United States. This information will be collected as part of the US-VISIT program, which stands for the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology. US-VISIT is part of a new immigration system that will be able to track the millions of visitors to the United States. The purpose of this program is to secure U.S. borders without unduly burdening the entry and exit process for foreign visitors. This notice was published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2003. Written comments and suggestions for this proposal are due on or before January 12, 2004.

Dec. 15, 2003

Visa Restrictions and Backlogs Create Problems for Businesses

New security measures and visa policies have made travel to the United States by foreign workers, students, and visitors much more difficult. In response to the growing public outcry from the business community, the House Small Business Committee recently held a hearing focusing on visa delays and the negative consequences for American business of the numerous visa restrictions implemented since September 11.

Nov. 20, 2003

Department of Labor Issues Revised Guidelines on Reduction in Recruitment (RIR) Requests

On November 20, 2003, the Department of Labor (DOL) distributed a memo to all Certifying Officers containing new guidelines for Reduction in Recruitment (RIR) processing. The purpose of the memo was to address the DOL’s remand policy for RIR cases due the labor market conditions and the backlog of regular process cases at the state workforce agencies.