[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 55 (Monday, March 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 13878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7368]



[[Page 13878]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1886-97]


Expansion of the Direct Mail Program for the Honolulu, Phoenix 
and San Diego District Offices and the Agana, Calexico, Las Vegas, Reno 
and Tucson Suboffices; Form N-400

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS or Service) is 
expanding its Direct Mail Program to include the Honolulu, Phoenix, and 
San Diego District Offices and the Agana, Calexico, Las Vegas, Reno, 
and Tucson Suboffices on the current list of direct mail sites for 
filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Applicants residing 
within these districts and suboffices will mail their Form N-400 
directly to the designated INS service center for processing. This 
expansion is intended to improve INS service to the public by reducing 
processing times for Form N-400, limiting in-person visits to local 
offices, and improving the quality of case status information provided 
to the public.

DATES: This notice is effective March 23, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Arroyo, Adjudications Officer, 
Immigration and Naturalization Service, Office of Naturalization 
Operations, 801 I Street, NW., Room 935E, Washington, DC 20536, 
telephone, (202) 514-8247.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Direct Mail Program, certain 
applicants and petitioners for immigration benefits mail their 
applications and petitions directly to an INS service center for 
processing instead of submitting them to a local INS office. The 
purposes and strategy of the Direct Mail Program have been discussed in 
detail in previous rulemaking and notices (see, e.g., 59 FR 33903 and 
59 FR 33985).
    The Service is continuing expansion of the Direct Mail Program, as 
applied to Form N-400, by adding the Honolulu, Phoenix, and San Diego 
District Offices and the Agana, Calexico, Las Vegas, Reno, and Tucson 
Suboffices as Direct Mail sites.

Where To File

    Effective March 23, 1998 applicants for naturalization residing 
within the jurisdiction of the Honolulu, Phoenix, and San Diego 
District Offices and the Agana, Calexico, Las Vegas, Reno, and Tucson 
Suboffices must mail the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, 
directly to the California Service Center at the following address: 
USINS California Service Center, Attention: N-400 Unit, P.O. Box 10400, 
Laguna Niguel, California 92607-0400.

Transition

    During the first 60 days following the effective date of this 
notice, the Honolulu, Phoenix, and San Diego District Offices and the 
Agana, Calexico, Las Vegas, Reno, and Tucson Suboffices will forward in 
a timely fashion to the California Service Center any Form N-400, 
Application for Naturalization, which has been inadvertently filed with 
the respective District or Suboffice. Applicants will be provided a 
notice at the time of filing at the District or Suboffice advising them 
that their application is being forwarded to the service center for 
initial processing. The applicant will receive written notification 
from their respective District or Suboffice of the date, place, and 
time of their interview for naturalization. When applications are 
forwarded from the District or Suboffices, they will be receipted and 
filed when they arrive at the service center. After the 60-day 
transition period, applicants attempting to file Form N-400, 
Application for Naturalization, at the offices listed above will be 
directed to mail their application directly to the California Service 
Center for processing.

    Dated: March 16, 1998.
Doris Meissner,
Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service.
[FR Doc. 98-7368 Filed 3-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-10-M