Breaking News

Machine-readable passport: Deadline for new regulations extended until October 26, 2004.

As we have reported several times already, all travelers under the Visa Waiver Program were supposed to have machine-readable passports by October 1, 2003. Upon request by several European countries, this deadline has now been extended until October 26, 2004. Next year, biometric data will be added as well, which is already being recorded by the US consulates in connection with visa applications (see report below).

Just how the new passport will probably be looking will be explained in one of our next issues. We have sent a written query to the Bundesinnenministerium (Federal Ministry of the Interior).

US consulates: compulsory interview - now almost everyone has to go! Also with regard to the age of visa applicants, there have been changes (again). Now, all persons between the age of 12 and 79 who need a visa for the US have to show up in person at the US consulate. Up to now, the age limit had been 59.

US consulates: fingerprints during the interview Based on the new system, as of September 24, two fingerprints will be taken of each applicant with an electronic scanner. No ink will be used, and, according to the US embassy, the process will only be taking a few seconds.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services: application fees raised Due to the rising costs for security checks (databases, fingerprint systems etc) the fees at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (UCSIS, previously BCIS(INS)) will be raised in November. The exact prices have not yet been announced, but most visa types will probably be raised by $15. Meanwhile, critics are reminding USCIS that they had better improve their service if they are going to keep raising fees, otherwise the higher fees could not be justified.

USCIS explained its decision with a lack of funding by US Congress, and the fact that the fees were missing in other places (e.g. refugees and asylum seekers). Furthermore, the simplified naturalization process for family members of US military personnel would require massive administrative expense.

Confusion: BCIS is now USCIS Just when you thought you had finally memorized the new name of the different governmental immigration authorities, US Immigration Services changes its name. The word "Bureau" has been done away with because they thought it was not really fitting for the work they were doing. So now, we are instead dealing with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS or CIS), the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Ion the case of former BCIS it seems as if they had simply dropped the "B" and replaced it with a US for United States. As we all know, the shorter CIS will probably be heard more often in everyday conversation than the more complicated USCIS.

In case you are writing a check to include in your application, you can make it out to either USCIS, BCIS or DHS (Department of Homeland Security). We hope that we and the authority can be dealing with more important questions again from now on...

State Department: virus attack disables database A computer virus disabled one of the most vital databases of the US Department of State, CLASS, for several hours. There are more than 12.8 million different entries in the system, among them the names of ca. 78,000 people who are registered as terrorists. This data was entered by different government departments and agencies, such as the FBI, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and other security agencies. It is used to check people entering the US for a possible criminal or terrorist background. The system broke down completely and for several hours US consulates around the world could not issue any visas.

The CLASS system, which does not have an automatic backup-function, already worked again that same day after the virus had been removed.

US Visa: Questions and consulting Do you have any questions concerning application processes at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services or the US consulates? Or do you need individual consultation? Our experts of our visa and consular service offer fast and comfortable advice via our hotline. Or use our free contact form on our website.