Suspension of R-1 Visa processing extended
PTI
Thursday, June 21, 2007 20:18 IST

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WASHINGTON: The United States has extended for six months the suspension of the Premium Processing Service for those seeking work under the Religious Visa or the R-1 classification.

The Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) had initially suspended the service, which allows businesses to obtain faster processing of petitions and applications, last November for a period of six months.

"Premium Processing for the R-1 Visa will begin only on December 18, 2007," the agency said.

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"This is being done because USCIS' first and foremost mission is to ensure integrity in the adjudications process," it said.

The agency pointed out that in August 2005 its Office of Fraud Detection and National Security completed a Benefit Fraud Assessment (BFA) for religious worker petitions that revealed significant issues and potential vulnerabilities.

And in April 2007, the Agency proposed the Special Immigrant and Non-immigrant Religious Workers rule and the expectation is that when this rule becomes final, many of the vulnerabilities previously found with this programme will have been minimised.

"In the interim, to ensure the proper adjudication of religious worker petitions, additional time and procedures are necessary," the USCIS has said.

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