December 8 2003

Reports and rumors that Special Registration has ended are wrong.  Only some of the re-registration requirements have been suspended.   The ONLY significant change in Special Registration that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced at the beginning of December, 2003 is that it is "suspending" the requirement of (1) annual re-registration applicable to all registrants and (2) 30/40-day follow-up interviews applicable to port-of-entry registrants.   All other requirements and the Special Registration program itself are NOT changed and remain in effect.  Anyone who does not comply with all the continuing requirements of Special Registration could be subjected to denial of admission to the U.S., denial of immigration benefits, possible criminal prosecution, and/or removal proceedings.