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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-28-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>1615-AA03</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200904</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>1615</CODE>
            <NAME>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>USCIS</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>1600</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Homeland Security</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DHS</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Petition To Classify Alien as Immediate Relative of a U.S. Citizen or as a Preference Immigrant; Self-Petitioning for Certain Battered or Abused Alien Spouses and Children</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[In 1996, the Immigration and Naturalization Service published an interim rule on this subject at 61 FR 13061.  The USCIS, formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, received a number of comments in response to that rulemaking.  Most of those comments have since been overcome by events, namely new legislation.  In October 2000, the President signed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, Public Law 106-386, which contained numerous amendments to the battered spouse provisions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  More recently, the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, Public Law 109-162 (January 5, 2006), made further amendments to the battered spouse provisions of the INA.  The Department issued another interim final rule to make the changes required by the recent legislation and to provide an opportunity for notice and comment.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>8 CFR 204</CFR>
            <CFR>8 CFR 205</CFR>
            <CFR>8 CFR 216</CFR>
            <CFR>8 CFR 245</CFR>
            <CFR>8 CFR 274a</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1101</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>PL 103-322</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1103</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1151</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1153 and 1154</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1182</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1186a</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1255</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>03/26/1996</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>61 FR 13061</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule Effective</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>03/26/1996</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>05/28/1996</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>07/00/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>09/00/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <ADDITIONAL_INFO>New CIS No. 2442-08

CIS No. 1705-95
Transferred from RIN 1115-AE04</ADDITIONAL_INFO>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Laura</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Dawkins</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>M.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>1615</CODE>
                    <NAME>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>USCIS</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 272-1470</PHONE>
                <FAX>202 272-1480</FAX>
                <EMAIL>laura.dawkins@uscis.dhs.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Room 3040, Suite 1200, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW.,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20529</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
