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February 23, 2000 New Deadline Begins for Family Members WASHINGTON The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) wants to remind the public that after February 28, 2000, any person obtaining asylum or refugee status will have a two-year deadline to petition INS in order for their spouse or minor children also to derive asylum or refugee status. Further, persons who obtained asylum or refugee status more than two years ago have until February 28, 2000 to petition INS for derivative asylum or refugee status to a spouse or child. Any person obtaining asylum or refugee status after February 28, 1998 is required to file the I-730 relative petition and supporting documents for their spouse or and minor children within two years of the grant of asylum or their admission into the United States as a refugee. After the two-year period for filing for a spouse or child has expired, an asylee or refugee may file an immigrant petition with INS for any eligible family member through the normal relative-petition process, although this process will result in a longer waiting period for an immigrant visa. Under INS regulations, the Form I-730 Refugee and Asylee Relative Petition and all supporting documents for each qualifying family member must be received at the Nebraska Service Center by February 28, 2000, or within two years of the date that the petitioner was granted asylum or admitted as a refugee. The regulations allow INS to extend this period for humanitarian reasons in some cases. The I-730 petition and all supporting documents must be received at: Nebraska Service Center INS |
Last Modified 02/20/2003