[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 8, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2004] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 8CFR245a.20] [Page 591-592] TITLE 8--ALIENS AND NATIONALITY CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION) PART 245a_ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS TO THAT OF PERSONS ADMITTED FOR Subpart B_Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act Legalization Provisions Sec. 245a.20 Decisions, appeals, motions, and certifications. (a) Decisions. (1) Approval of applications. If the Service approves the application for adjustment of status under LIFE Legalization, the district director shall record the alien's lawful admission for permanent residence as of the date of such approval and notify the alien accordingly. The district director shall also advise the alien regarding the delivery of his or her Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card, and of the process for obtaining temporary evidence of alien registration. If the alien has previously been issued a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal, such order shall be deemed canceled as of the date of the district director's approval of the application for adjustment of status. If the alien had been in exclusion, deportation, or removal proceedings that were administratively closed, such proceedings shall be deemed terminated as of the date of approval of the application for adjustment of status by the district director. (2) Denials. The alien shall be notified in writing of the decision of denial and of the reason(s) therefor. When an adverse decision is proposed, the Service shall notify the applicant of its intent to deny the application and the basis for the proposed denial. The applicant will be granted a period of 30 days from the date of the notice in which to respond to the notice of intent to deny. All relevant material will be considered in making a final decision. If inconsistencies are found between information submitted with the adjustment application and information previously furnished by the alien to the Service, the alien shall be afforded the opportunity to explain discrepancies or rebut any adverse information. An applicant affected under this part by an adverse decision is entitled to file an appeal on Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), with required fee specified in Sec. 103.7(b)(1) of this chapter. Renewal of employment authorization issued pursuant to Sec. 245a.13 will be granted until a final decision has been rendered on appeal or until the end of the appeal period if no appeal is filed. After exhaustion of an appeal, an alien who believes that the grounds for denial have been overcome may submit another application with fee, provided that the application is submitted on or before June 4, 2003. (b) Appeals process. An adverse decision under this part may be appealed to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations, Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), who is the appellate authority designated in Sec. 103.1(f)(3) of this chapter. Any appeal shall be submitted to the Service office that rendered the decision with the required fee. (1) If an appeal is filed from within the United States, it must be received by the Service within 30 calendar days after service of the Notice of Denial (NOD) in accordance with the procedures of Sec. 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the 30 day period has tolled will not be accepted. The 30 day period for submitting an appeal begins 3 days after the NOD is mailed. If a review of the Record of Proceeding (ROP) is requested by the alien or his [[Page 592]] or her legal representative, and an appeal has been properly filed, an additional 30 days will be allowed for this review from the time the ROP is photocopied and mailed. (2) If an applicant's last known address of record was outside the United States, and the NOD was mailed to that foreign address, the appeal must be received by the Service within 60 calendar days after service of the NOD in accordance with the procedures of Sec. 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the 60 day period has tolled will not be accepted. The 60-day period for submitting an appeal begins 3 days after the NOD is mailed. (c) Motions. The Service director who denied the application may reopen and reconsider any adverse decision sua sponte. When an appeal to the AAO has been filed, the director may issue a new decision that will grant the benefit that has been requested. Motions to reopen a proceeding or reconsider a decision shall not be considered under this Subpart B. (d) Certifications. The Service director who adjudicates the application may, in accordance with Sec. 103.4 of this chapter, certify a decision to the AAO when the case involves an unusually complex or novel question of law or fact. (e) Effect of final adjudication of application on aliens previously in proceedings. --(1) Upon the granting of an application. If the application for LIFE Legalization is granted, proceedings shall be deemed terminated or a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal shall be deemed canceled as of the date of the approval of the LIFE Legalization application for adjustment of status. (2) Upon the denial of an application. --(i) Where proceedings were administratively closed. In the case of an alien whose previously initiated exclusion, deportation or removal proceeding had been administratively closed or continued indefinitely under Sec. 245a.12(b)(1), the director shall make a request for recalendaring to the Immigration Court that had administratively closed the proceeding, or the Board, as appropriate, when there is a final decision denying the LIFE Legalization application. The Immigration Court or the Board will then recalendar the prior proceeding. (ii) Where final order was stayed. If the application for LIFE Legalization is denied, the stay of a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal afforded in Sec. 245a.13(f) shall be deemed lifted as of the date of such denial. [66 FR 29673, June 1, 2001, as amended at 67 38352, June 4, 2002]