[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 3 (Monday, January 6, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 613-615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-135]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 2478]

22 CFR Part 42


Bureau of Consular Affairs; Visas: Documentation of Immigrants 
under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as Amended

AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, DOS.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (Title IV of the 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-322, 
108 Stat. 1902, 1953-1955), amended section 204 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (INA) to allow certain spouses and children of citizens 
or lawful permanent resident aliens to self-petition for immediate 
relative and preference classifications. This rule adds classification 
symbols for this category of immigrants.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule takes effect on January 6, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Chief, Legislation and Regulation Division, Visa Office, 
Washington, D.C. 20522-1013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen K. Fischel, Chief, Legislation 
and Regulations Division, 202-663-1204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 40701 of the Violence Against Women 
Act of 1994 accords aliens who have been battered and/or abused by a 
U.S. citizen or alien resident spouse or parent, and who have resided 
in the United States with that spouse or parent, the right to self-
petition for immediate relative or family preference status. Creation 
of new immigrant visa categories.
    This rule amends part 42, title 22 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations by adding the new visa symbols for these immigrant 
categories: IB1 through IB3, B11 and B12, B21 through B25, BX1 through 
BX3, and B31 through B33 to the list of immigrant visa symbols at 
Sec. 42.11. Other minor editorial changes have been made throughout.

Final Rule

    This rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial 
number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 605(b). This rule imposes no reporting or 
record-keeping action on the public subject to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. No Federalism assessment is required under 
E.O. 12612. This rule has been reviewed as required by E.O. 12988. This 
rule is exempted from E.O. 12866 but has been reviewed to ensure 
consistency therewith. This rule is being promulgated as a final rule 
pursuant to the ``good cause'' provision of 5 U.S.C. sec. 553(b); 
notice and comment are not necessary in light of the fact that this 
rule merely establishes visa symbols and makes no substantive rule 
changes.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 42

    Classification of immigrants, Classification symbols, Visas.

    Accordingly, part 42 to title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
is amended to read as indicated below:

[[Page 614]]

PART 42--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 42 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1104.


Sec. 42.11 [Amended]

    2. In section 42.11 the introductory text and the first seven 
sections of the table are revised to read as follows:


Sec. 42.11  Classification Symbols.

    A visa issued to an immigrant alien within one of the classes 
described below shall bear an appropriate visa symbol to show the 
classification of the alien.

                                                                                                                
                                                   Immigrants                                                   
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         Symbol                             Class                                   Section of law              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Immediate Relatives                                              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IR1.....................  Spouse of U.S. Citizen...................  201(b).                                    
IR2.....................  Child of U.S. Citizen....................  201(b).                                    
IR3.....................  Orphan Adopted Abroad by U.S. Citizen....  201(b).                                    
IR4.....................  Orphan to be Adopted In the United States  201(b).                                    
                           by U.S. Citizen.                                                                     
IR5.....................  Parent of U.S. Citizen at Least 21 Years   201(b).                                    
                           of Age.                                                                              
CR1.....................  Spouse of U.S. Citizen (Conditional        201(b) & 216(a)(1).                        
                           Status).                                                                             
CR2.....................  Child of U.S. Citizen (Conditional         201(b) & 216.                              
                           Status).                                                                             
IW1.....................  Certain Spouses of Deceased U.S. Citizens  201(b).                                    
IW2.....................  Child of IW1.............................  201(b).                                    
IB1.....................  Self-petition Spouse of U.S. Citizen.....  204(a)(1)(A)(iii).                         
IB2.....................  Self-petition child of U.S. Citizen......  204(a)(1)(A)(iv).                          
IB3.....................  Child of IB1.............................  204(a)(1)(A)(iii).                         
VI5.....................  Parent of U.S. Citizen Who Acquired        201(b) & sec. 2 of the Virgin Islands,     
                           Permanent Resident Status Under the        Nonimmigrant Alien, Adjustment Act, (P.L. 
                           Virgin Islands Nonimmigrant Alien          97-271).                                  
                           Adjustment Act.                                                                      
                                                                                                                
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                                          Vietnam Amerasian Immigrants                                          
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AM1.....................  Vietnam Amerasian Principal..............  584(b)(1)(A).                              
AM2.....................  Spouse or Child of AM1...................  584(b)(1)(B), and                          
AM3.....................  Natural Mother of Unmarried AM1 (and       584(b)(1)(C) of the Foreign Operations,    
                           Spouse or Child of Such Mother), or        Export Financing, and Related Programs    
                           Person Who has Acted in Effect as the      Appropriations Act, 1988 (As Contained in 
                           Mother, Father, or Next-of-Kin of          sec. 101(e) of P.L 100-202) as amended).  
                           Unmarried AM1 (and Spouse or Child of                                                
                           Such Person).                                                                        
                                                                                                                
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                                               Special Immigrants                                               
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SB1.....................  Returning Resident.......................  101(a)(27)(A).                             
SC1.....................  Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by        101(a)(27)(B) & 324(a).                    
                           Marriage.                                                                            
SC2.....................  Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by        101(a)(27)(B) & 327.                       
                           Serving in Foreign Armed Forces.                                                     
                                                                                                                
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                                          Family-Sponsored Preferences                                          
                                                                                                                
                                              Family 1st Preference                                             
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F11.....................  Unmarried Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen  203(a)(1).                                 
F12.....................  Child of F11.............................  203(d).                                    
B11.....................  Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter    204(a)(1)(A)(iv) & 203(a)(1).              
                           of U.S. Citizen.                                                                     
B12.....................  Child of B11.............................  203(d).                                    
                                                                                                                
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                              Family 2nd Preference (Subject to Country Limitations)                            
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F21.....................  Spouse of Alien Resident.................  203(a)(2)(A).                              
F22.....................  Child of Alien Resident..................  203(a)(2)(A).                              
F23.....................  Child of F21 or F22......................  203(d).                                    
F24.....................  Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien         203(a)(2)(B).                              
                           Resident.                                                                            
F25.....................  Child of F24.............................  203(d).                                    
C21.....................  Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional)...  203(a)(2)(A) & 216.                        
C22.....................  Child of Alien Resident (Conditional)....  202(a)(2)(A) & 216.                        
C23.....................  Child of C21 or C22 (Conditional)........  203(d) & 216.                              
C24.....................  Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien         203(a)(2)(B) & 216.                        
                           Resident (Conditional).                                                              
C25.....................  Child of F24 (Conditional)...............  203(d) & 216.                              
B21.....................  Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent   204(a)(1)(B)(ii).                          
                           Resident.                                                                            
B22.....................  Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent    204(a)(1)(B)(iii).                         
                           Resident.                                                                            
B23.....................  Child of B21 or B22......................  204(a)(1)(B)(ii).                          
B24.....................  Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter    203(d).                                    
                           of Lawful Permanent Resident.                                                        

[[Page 615]]

                                                                                                                
B25.....................  Child of B24.............................  203(d).                                    
                                                                                                                
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                             Family 2nd Preference (Exempt from Country Limitations)                            
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FX1.....................  Spouse of Alien Resident.................  202(a)(4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A).               
FX2.....................  Child of Alien Resident..................  202(a)4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A).                
FX3.....................  Child of FX1 and FX2.....................  202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d) 203(a)(2)(A).        
CX1.....................  Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional)...  202(a)(4)(A) & 216.                        
CX2.....................  Child of Alien Resident (Conditional)....  202(a)(4)(A) & 216.                        
CX3.....................  Child of CX1 & CX2 (Conditional).........  202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d) & 216.               
BX1.....................  Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent   204(a)(1)(B)(ii).                          
                           Resident.                                                                            
BX2.....................  Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent    204(a)(1)(B)(iii).                         
                           Resident.                                                                            
BX3.....................  Child of BX1 or BX2......................  203(d).                                    
                                                                                                                
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                                              Family 3rd Preference                                             
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F31.....................  Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen..  203(a)(3).                                 
F32.....................  Spouse of F31............................  203(d).                                    
F33.....................  Child of F31.............................  302(d).                                    
C31.....................  Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen    216(a)(1).                                 
                           (Conditional).                                                                       
C32.....................  Spouse of C31 (Conditional)..............  203(d) & 216.                              
C33.....................  Child of C31 (Conditional)...............  203(d) & 216.                              
B31.....................  Self-petition Married Son or Daughter of   204(a)(1)(A)(iv) & 203(a)(3).              
                           U.S. Citizen.                                                                        
B32.....................  Spouse of B31............................  203(d).                                    
B33.....................  Child of B31.............................  203(d).                                    
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* * * * *
    Dated: November 21, 1996.
Mary A. Ryan,
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-135 Filed 1-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P