Trying to get GC but NSEERS holding me back

S

sjuntak2

Registered Users (C)
Ok, I'm originally from Indonesia, got in the U.S in the year 1994. I'm pretty much feel at home in U.S. never leave U.S. I got married with a U.S. Citizen :D . we applied, we did the applications, we did the Biometrics (Picture and Finger prints) and lastly, this past Thursday the 9th we did the Interview. The Immigration officer approved my Permanent Resident (Green Card), we saw her stamped "Approved."

we were happy that I will be receiving the GC in 1 to 2 weeks :) , BUT...

Instead, we got a letter stating:
After your adjustment of status interview on 3/9/2006, this office notice that you did not register for National Security Entry Exit Registration System (NSEERS or Special Registration). :eek:

it later asked i have to provide evidence that I'm not subject to NSEERS or evidence that i'm exempt from registration and an exemption was granted...

Do you have any idea how to go about with this problem? :confused: I've called 5 times to USCIS and they all said that the NSEERS program stopped 3 years ago but the letter that i've received is from the USCIS :( and they can't answer my problem

can i still register the NSEERS even though they don't exist anymore? I know at ICE website they don't do NSEERS anymore

I'm in the end of my ropes here... don't know where else to go. I've spent countless of hours just to find an answer but i ended up chasing a wild goose...

please, help...
 
Probably if you call at the ICE headquarters or the Department of State, probably they can guide you. Yes that registration ended but the persons who were subjected to it must comply.
Do you never registered?
 
I guess i didn't... because I've graduated from school on December 2002... I've researched about NSEERS and I think for people from Indonesia must register on January 2003. I didn't get any email from my old school saying that i needed to do that but instead after I graduated, my email school account has been closed right after i've graduated.

I guess I can't blame at the school for this, even though thats their responsibility to warn me.
 
sjuntak2 said:
I guess i didn't... because I've graduated from school on December 2002... I've researched about NSEERS and I think for people from Indonesia must register on January 2003. I didn't get any email from my old school saying that i needed to do that but instead after I graduated, my email school account has been closed right after i've graduated.

I guess I can't blame at the school for this, even though thats their responsibility to warn me.
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Man! I don;t want to scare you off, But failing to register for NSEERS is a serious stuff.
You should contact a good lawyer ASAP. I have heard ppl deporting just b/c of that. But in your case there is a slim chance of it as you are married to a US citizen.
Good luck and keep us posted
 
I tried to do a research on NSEERS but I'm getting more confused. What exactly is this?

Is it something that every foreigner must do? or just applicable to the people who come from certain countries? I have never heard about this & I'm wondering if I've missed anything.
 
So this basically applies to Male only?

By the way, since I notified DHS & my college every time I moved to a new place, so I think I've done what I was supposed to do.........?

One of the DHS webpage they mentioned this:
"The rule also provides that when an alien who is monitored under Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) notifies DHS of a change of address or change of educational institution through SEVIS, it also constitutes a notification for the purposes of NSEERS registration. "​

God, this whole thing is so confusing, I start getting worried again :(
 
In my AOS interview the first question the officer asked me whether I was an NSEERS registrant or not. I didn't even know what that meant :confued: so I asked him to explain. He said it's the special registration thing that you have to do at the airport when you first come in (or every year if you were here from 2001-2003 I think, which I wasn't). So I said oh that thing and I handed him my passport where it was stamped NSEERS registrant on my I-94 card. So I am surprised the officer didn't ask u that in the interview. Anyway I am not trying to discourage you or anything, but I do think you need a lawyer. My cousin didn't do special registartion when he was here and he has been married to a U.S citizen for over 2 years now and still got nothing. He almost gave up and now thinking to move to New Zealand :eek:
 
I don't think it matters if you're male or female according to the info that Suzy977 posted. How do you even know if you're supposed to register?
 
No, it was just for MALE aliens.

The website since then had changed a lot but if you visited way before when the registration was going on, explained pretty well who must comply and the list of countries were varying time to time.

You suppose to knew if you were going to visit or study here. Do you were illegaly here since 1994 until you got married?

Check out with a lawyer what you can do, if you have enough information about where you were during all that time.

This is the ICE archives and explain who and which countries and the steps:
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/specialregistration/archive.htm

Good luck,

The registration program was all over the news...even internationally.
 
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cherr1980 said:
No, it was just for MALE aliens.

The website since then had changed a lot but if you visited way before when the registration was going on, explained pretty well who must comply and the list of countries were varying time to time.

You suppose to knew if you were going to visit or study here. Do you were illegaly here since 1994 until you got married?

Check out with a lawyer what you can do, if you have enough information about where you were during all that time.

This is the ICE archives and explain who and which countries and the steps:
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/specialregistration/archive.htm

Good luck,

The registration program was all over the news...even internationally.
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hi cherry,
would you mind straight this thing up for me. I am from China, went to high school and college as a F-1 visa, went back three times, (1)1999 and (2)2000. I was granded visa both times in China. I was ever informed that I need to register this thing since I came here initially. If this is required, my school international office should tell me. Oh, I am worried now, my interview is coming next month. what should i do?
 
I didn't see the China on the list...but if you have concerns about it you can call ICE and they should tell you if China was on the list. Check their website for more information: www.ice.gov

Don't stress out :)
It is my understanding (means that I read over the internet and other places, I am not a F1 visa and never have been) that schools that had F1 visa students that must undergo with NSEERS should contacted them if they had nationals of the countries on the list. So you even can check out with your school, but as I said, I don't see China on the list. If you have doubts you should contact the main source ICE.
 
cherr1980 said:
I didn't see the China on the list...but if you have concerns about it you can call ICE and they should tell you if China was on the list. Check their website for more information: www.ice.gov

Don't stress out :)
It is my understanding (means that I read over the internet and other places, I am not a F1 visa and never have been) that schools that had F1 visa students that must undergo with NSEERS should contacted them if they had nationals of the countries on the list. So you even can check out with your school, but as I said, I don't see China on the list. If you have doubts you should contact the main source ICE.
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woo. thanks, I searched and didn't see China either, called my friends who had interview before, never was asked for this. it is a relief. thanks for clear me out, cherry
best wish
 
I did called ICE and USCIS and both of them can not explain or tell me what to do... They both aren't structured and alot of times the workers are rude even though this is a serious matter.

it makes me wonder if i do get an attorney, how much can they help me when the ICE and USCIS can not point me a direction. do you see where I'm going with this?

I called USCIS again that I should write a letter to them stating why I didn't register. I don't know they would believe me but I wasn't be informed by my school because school email account was terminated upon graduation.

Its crazy peeps... they asked but they don't have procedure for anything other than... "hmmmmm should i deport this guy or not" sound fair to you?
 
Yeap unfortunately sound like there are people like that...
I really don't know if an attorney really can manage this type of cases. The part that I don't understand is that you said that your school close your account after graduation that doesn't mean that does not have RECORD of you. Why you don't call the international student liason at your school? By the way you were in school in what period of time?

And what exactly the ICE person who answer you the phone told you?
 
finished with school

I've graduated in December 2002. and I know for sure that the International student liason can't help me there. with ICE, they kept transfering me on the phone regarding the NSEERS. they themself are confused about it.
 
I think that ICE and USCIS do not have a procedure about if the person didn't register but USCIS is asking about that and for ICE it doesn't matter what you are doing with USCIS if you don't register is not their problem to register or fixed it since is long gone and for them if you didn't comply then you are in a bad position IF they find you. So really is like a dead end both ways...

I would make an Affidavit (notarize it) and make like a timeline where you were and what you were doing and what happened. And add that you never were contacted for it during school. That looking at the time that you was in school and the NSEERS registration for your country at that time to be register didn't apply and after that then you have to say what you was doing. That you have no issues with the law at this date and bla bla bla....that is my personal opinion since nobody apparently can help you out on it.

Unless you find a good employee in ICE like this other post made and go there by yourself.

Good luck,
 
write letter to USCIS

Write a letter back to USCIS and tell them you situiation and ask tell what needs to be done. Neers no longer exist. They should approve your green card.

Tony
 
I will do

Thanks Cher and Tony...
thats a great idea to approach this. I did call USCIS and one Immigration officer recommend me to write back to them about the whole situation. i do like the idea of affidavit and get it notarized about the timeline and not getting informed by the school that i was in.

Cher, so ICE and USCIS don't work together hand to hand? thats not good
 
Why don't you send the letter AND get an infoPass. At least you would be able to talk to an officer and there's the possibility that he will guide in the right direction.
 
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