[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50336-50337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19723]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
[CIS No. 2453-08; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2008-0030]
RIN 1615-ZA70
Direct Mail Program for Submitting Form I-800A, Application for
Determination of Suitability To Adopt a Child From a Convention
Country, and Form I-800, Petition To Classify Convention Adoptee as an
Immediate Relative
AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expanding
its Direct Mail Program to include Form I-800, Petition to Classify
Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and Form I-800A,
Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a
Convention Country. Applicants must submit Forms I-800, I-800A, and all
related supplements and forms to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility
located in Illinois, for initial processing. Applicants were previously
required to file at a USCIS field office with jurisdiction over their
place of current residence. The Direct Mail Program allows USCIS to
process applications more efficiently by eliminating duplicative work,
maximizing staff productivity, and introducing better information
management tools.
DATES: Effective September 25, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lissette Kvortek, HQ Adjudications
Officer, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services, Department of Homeland Security, 20 Massachusetts Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20529, Telephone (202) 272-1001.
I. Background
A. What is The Hague Adoption Convention?
The Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in
Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention) signed at
The Hague, The Netherlands, on May 29, 1993, is a treaty that
strengthens protections for children, birth parents, and prospective
adoptive parent(s). It establishes internationally agreed upon rules
and procedures for adoptions between countries that have a treaty
relationship under the Hague Adoption Convention. It provides a
framework for member countries to work together to ensure that children
are provided with permanent, loving homes, that adoptions take place in
the best interests of a child, and that the abduction, sale and
trafficking in children is prevented. The President signed the
instrument of ratification for the Hague Adoption Convention on
November 16, 2007, and the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force
for the United States on April 1, 2008. 72 FR 71730.
B. What is the Direct Mail Program?
Under the Direct Mail program, applicants for certain immigration
benefits mail the designated application or petition directly to a U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center or Lockbox
facility instead of submitting it to their local USCIS office. USCIS
has discussed the purpose and strategy of the Direct Mail program in
detail in previous rules and notices. (See 59 FR 33903, 59 FR 33985, 60
FR 22408, 61 FR 2266, 61 FR 56060, 62 FR 16607, 63 FR 891, 63 FR 892,
63 FR 13434, 63 FR 13878, 63 FR 16828, 63 FR 50584, 63 FR 8688, 63 FR
8689, 64 FR 67323, 69 FR 3380, 69 FR 4210, 70 FR 30768, 72 FR 3402).
C. Which Hague Adoption Convention forms are affected by the Direct
Mail Program?
You must now submit the following forms through the Direct Mail
Program
[[Page 50337]]
to our Chicago Lockbox facility for initial processing:
Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability
to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country.
Form I-800A Supplement 1, Listing of Adult Member of the
Household.
Form I-800A Supplement 2, Consent to Disclose Information.
Form I-800A Supplement 3, Request for Action on Approved
Form I-800A.
Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an
Immediate Relative.
Form I-800 Supplement 1, Consent to Disclose Information.
Interested individuals may find detailed information and eligibility
requirements for Form I-800A and I-800 and their supplements and forms
at the USCIS Web site: http://www.uscis.gov.
D. Does this notice affect any other Hague related forms that I may
submit along with those listed above?
Yes, it affects Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of
Inadmissibility, Form I-864 and Form I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support
under section 213A of the Act, or Form I-864W, Intending Immigrant's
Affidavit of Support Exemption, when filed in connection with a Hague
Adoption Convention case. When submitted with a Form I-800 these forms
must be filed beginning on September 25, 2008 with the USCIS Chicago
Lockbox facility address listed below.
II. Explanation of Changes
A. Does this notice make any changes relating to the eligibility of a
prospective adoptive parent's suitability to adopt a child from a
convention country or changes to the eligibility of a convention
adoptee to be classified as an immediate relative?
No. This Notice only changes the filing location for these
applications. These forms, previously filed at USCIS offices world-
wide, will now be filed under the Direct Mail Program at the USCIS
Chicago Lockbox facility for initial processing.
B. Should I file Forms I-600A and/or I-600 under the new Direct Mail
Program?
No. If you reside in the United States continue to file Form I-
600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition and Form I-
600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, with the
local USCIS office with jurisdiction over your place of residence. If
you live outside the United States, you should consult the nearest
American consulate or embassy for the overseas or stateside USCIS
office designated to act on the application.
C. Will USCIS change the form instructions to Forms I-800A and I-800?
Yes. USCIS is currently amending the filing locations on the
instructions to Forms I-800A and I-800, as well as the procedures
listed on the USCIS Web site to reflect the new filing address.
D. If I live outside of the United States, can I file the Forms I-800A
or I-800 at a USCIS overseas office, or an American consulate or
embassy?
No. You must file Forms I-800A and I-800 at the USCIS Chicago
Lockbox facility. Although 8 CFR 204.308(b) provides that Form I-800
may be filed at the visa-issuing post when permitted in the form's
instructions, centralized processing affords more efficiency for both
USCIS and prospective adoptive parents. Accordingly, you will need to
file the Form I-800 at the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility for
centralized processing. USCIS will no longer permit filing the form
elsewhere.
E. To what address should I mail Forms I-800A, I-800, and related
supplements and forms?
Beginning on September 25, 2008, you must file Forms I-800A, I-800
and their supplements with all supporting documentation to the
following address:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
P.O. Box 805695,
Chicago, IL 60680-4118.
If you are also filing Hague related Forms I-601, I-864, I-864EZ, or I-
864W with Form I-800, you must also send these forms to the above
Lockbox address.
F. What will happen to incorrectly filed Forms I-800A, I-800, and
related supplements and forms covered by this notice?
USCIS will forward forms filed incorrectly to the USCIS Chicago
Lockbox facility address ONLY for the first 30 days following the
effective date of this notice, including the filing of Hague related
Forms I-601, I-864, I-864EZ, or I-864W, which are covered by this
notice.
After the 30-day transition period, USCIS will return any Form I-
800 or I-800A, and related supplements and forms, mailed to a USCIS
office other than the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility address to the
applicant with an explanation directing the applicant to mail the
application directly to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility address for
processing.
G. Will the fees change with this notice?
No. The application fees will remain the same as provided on the
form instructions for Forms I-800A and I-800.
H. Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule does not impose any new reporting or recordkeeping
requirements. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously
approved the use of these information collections. The OMB control
numbers for Forms I-800 and I-800A are contained in 8 CFR 299.5,
Display of control numbers. USCIS will provide the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) with a copy of the amended form and OMB 83C
(Correction Worksheet) through the automated Regulatory Office Combined
Information System (ROCIS).
Dated: July 21, 2008.
Jonathan R. Scharfen,
Acting Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
[FR Doc. E8-19723 Filed 8-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P