[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6711]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 52 / Friday, March 17, 1995 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 14353]]
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Immigration and Naturalization Service
8 CFR Parts 204, 211, 235, 251, 252, 274a, 299, 316 and 334
[INS No. 1703-95]
RIN 1115-AD81
Delay of Effective Date for Establishment of Form I-551, Alien
Registration Receipt Card, as the Exclusive Form of Registration for
Lawful Permanent Resident Aliens
AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.
ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective dates.
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SUMMARY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (``the Service'')
is delaying the effective date of a final rule previously published in
the Federal Register on September 20, 1993, at 58 FR 48775-48780, which
provided, inter alia, for the termination of the validity of the Form
I-151, Alien Registration Receipt Card.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective March 17, 1995, the effective date for the
regulation published on September 20, 1993, amending 8 CFR Parts 204,
211, 235, 251, 252, 274a, 299, 316, and 334, is delayed until March 20,
1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerard Casale, Senior Adjudications
Officer, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Room 3214, 425 I
Street NW., Washington, DC 20536, telephone (202) 514-5014.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On September 20, 1993, the Service published a final rule in the
Federal Register at 58 FR 48775-48780, establishing the Form I-551,
Alien Registration Receipt Card, as the exclusive form of registration
for lawful permanent residence, and terminating the validity of the old
Form I-151, Alien Registration Receipt Card. In addition, the final
rule provided procedures by which a lawful permanent resident alien in
possession of a Form I-151 or a prior alien registration document, such
as the Form AR-3 or AR-103, could replace these documents with the
current Form I-551. The effective date of the amendments to 8 CFR part
264 concerning application procedures became effective on October 20,
1993. The final rule also provided that the effective date for the
removal of references to the Form I-151 from 8 CFR parts 204, 211, 223,
235, 251, 252, 274a, 299, 316, and 334 would be September 20, 1994, on
which date the validity of the Form I-151 would officially terminate.
On September 14, 1994, the Service published a final rule in the
Federal Register at 59 FR 47063, which extended the validity of the I-
151 by delaying the effective date of the amendments to 8 CFR parts
204, 211, 223, 235, 251, 252, 274a, 299, 316, and 334, until March 20,
1995. This rule further extends the validity of the I-151 by delaying
the effective date of the amendments to 8 CFR parts 204, 211, 235, 251,
252, 274a, 299, 316, and 334, until March 20, 1996. Delaying the
effective date of the amendment to 8 CFR 223 is not necessary since,
pursuant to a final rule published on January 11, 1994, at 59 FR 1455-
1466, that part no longer contains a reference to Form I-151.
This delay in the effective date is necessary in order to minimize
the possibility that lawful permanent resident aliens who apply for
either a replacement Form I-551 card or for naturalization prior to
March 20, 1995, as a result of the I-151 replacement program, will not
have had their applications adjudicated before their old registration
cards expire. The I-151 replacement program will terminate on March 20,
1995. Any application for a replacement I-551 card or for
naturalization filed by the bearer of a Form I-151 or prior alien
registration document after that date will not be considered as having
been filed pursuant to the I-151 replacement program. Applicants who
wait until after March 20, 1995, to replace their cards or to apply for
naturalization assume a much greater risk of being inconvenienced in
the event that their applications are not adjudicated prior to the
expiration of the Form I-151 on March 20, 1996. Accordingly, lawful
permanent resident aliens in possession of a Form I-151 or prior alien
registration document issued before 1979 who have not already applied
to replace that card with a Form I-551 or for naturalization are urged
to apply without delay. For the convenience of the public, these
application forms may be ordered by telephone, toll-free, by calling:
1-800-755-0777.
The implementation of this rule as a final rule is based upon the
``good cause'' exception found at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3). The
reason for the immediate implementation of this final rule is as
follows: A notice and comment period for a proposed rule is
impracticable and contrary to the public interest. Absent an extension
of the validity of the Form I-151, several aliens who have applied for
replacement I-551 cards or for naturalization pursuant to the I-151
replacement program would no longer have valid evidence of their status
after March 20, 1995. Accordingly, this regulation affords a benefit
rather than a burden or penalty of any kind on affected persons.
Dated: March 10, 1995.
Doris Meissner,
Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service.
[FR Doc. 95-6711 Filed 3-16-95; 8:45 am]
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