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DHS/USCIS

RIN: 1615-AB14

Publication ID: Fall 2008

Title: Classification of Certain Scientists of the Commonwealth of Independent States of the Former Soviet Union and the Baltic States as Employment-Based Immigrants
Abstract: The Soviet Scientists Immigration Act of 1992 (SSIA) provided for 750 visas to be provided to eligible scientists and engineers from the former Soviet Union. This Program expired on October 24, 1996. Recent legislation extended the eligibility deadline for filing under the SSIA to September 30, 2006, and raised the numerical limit on these visas from 750 to 950. It also required DHS to consult with the Department of State and other agencies regarding previous experiences with the program and their recommendations for making the program more effective. This rule improves administration of the program by requiring each applicant to submit a statement signed by the State Department's Bureau of Nonproliferation (Bureau) regarding his or her qualifications. Because the Bureau has been in close contact with this group of scientists and with the organizations that have employed them for a number of years, the Bureau is in a better position than DHS to assess the individual applicant's qualifications. Accordingly, this signed statement will be submitted for the evidence of qualifications previously required under the program.
Agency: Department of Homeland Security(DHS)	Priority: Other Significant
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda	Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Long-Term Actions
Major: No	Unfunded Mandates: No
CFR Citation: 8 CFR 204
Legal Authority: 8 USC 1103 8 USC 1151 8 USC 1153 and 1154

Legal Deadline: None

Timetable:

Action	Date	FR Cite
Interim Final Rule	04/25/2005	70 FR 21129
Interim Final Rule Effective	05/25/2005
Interim Final Rule Comment Period End	06/24/2005
Final Action	To Be Determined

Additional Information: CIS No. 2277-03
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No	Government Levels Affected: None
Small Entities Affected: No	Federalism: No
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No
RIN Information URL: www.regulations.gov
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No
Agency Contact: Sophia Cox Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW., 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20529 Phone:202 272-1522 Email: sophia.cox@dhs.gov