Department of Justice June 21, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule adopts, with specified changes, an interim rule published by the former Immigration and Naturalization Service on October 20, 1997. This final rule clarifies several issues raised under the interim rule regarding who needs an affidavit of support, how sponsors qualify, what information and documentation they must present, and when the income of other persons may be used to support an intending immigrant's application for permanent residence. These changes are intended to make the affidavit of support process clearer and less intimidating and time-consuming for sponsors, while continuing to ensure that sponsors will have sufficient means available to support new immigrants when necessary. The final rule also makes clear that, when an alien applies for adjustment of status in removal proceedings, the immigration judge's jurisdiction to adjudicate the adjustment application includes authority to adjudicate the sufficiency of the affidavit of support.