Subject: [[email-masked]: FWD: Professionals for Spouse Reunification]

From: [email-masked] (Mi Mi)
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 94 11:13:42 CDT

This is forwarded message.  Please refer to the original sender of this
message for more info.

Mi Mi 

======================================================================
                               Professionals for Spouse Reunification
                               478 W. Hamilton Ave., Suite 187
                               Campbell, CA 95008
                               <[email-masked]>

This post is addressed to those who in any way may be interested
in a problem that U.S. Permanent Residents face when they file
a petition for permanent residency for their spouses and children.

Under the current immigration law when a permanent resident wants
his/her spouse and children to join him/her to live in the United States
he/she has to file a petition for his family for permanent residency
and this petition is classified as Family Preference Category 2A.
The waiting period for this preference category is currently 2.5 years
and is getting longer as Immigration & Naturalization Service handles
2 weeks worth of cases in about 1 month.  This is due to the limit on
a number of visas that can be given in this preference category.
If a green card holder presently gets married abroad he/she will have to
wait for about 3.5 to 4 years before he/she can reunite with his/her
family (taking other factors into consideration).

If a spouse/children try to apply for any kind of temporary visa, they
are routinely denied those visas, as a non-immigrant intent is a required
to obtain a temporary visa.  The basis for the denial in such cases is
that the petition for permanent residency is considered a proof of
an intent to immigrate to the U.S.

These years of separation are very hard on often new families
and bring a lot of stress on still forming relationships.

Professionals for Spouse Reunification (PSR) is a non-profit organization
that lobbies the Congress to ease this unnecessary hardship.
Currently, there are two similar legislative initiatives - bill S.618
in the U.S. Senate and bill HR 3182 in the House of Representatives.
These bills would allow a family of a permanent resident to come to
the U.S. on a visitor (B-2) or student (F-1) visa.  They would explicitly
state that a petition for permanent residency cannot be considered as
a proof of an intent to immigrate in the visitor/student visa processing.
Neither bill would allow coming families to work, and would provide some
penalties for dropping out of the visa status.  However, it would remove
the largest source or hardship - separation.

A copy of either bill is available upon request at
<[email-masked]>.

     We, Professional for Spouse Reunification need your help,
                     no matter how small!
            Without your support nothing will change!

Here is what you can do:
(1) Spread the word about the problem and make others aware.
(2) Write letters to your ethnic newspapers/magazines, TV stations, and other
    organizations. We need ethnic media support.  Sample letter is provided
    in this posting. It is important that we reach as many people as possible.
(3) Write letters to senators and representatives in your district. Again,
    sample letters and instructions are provided later in this posting.
(4) Organize signature campaigns.  Collect signatures at your ethnic/religious
    centers.
(5) If you cannot send letters to ethnic newspapers/magazines/organizations
    yourself, provides us with addresses.
(6) Help us get cosponsors for the bills in Congress.
(7) Contribute more ideas to PSR.
(8) Find others who could help.

Here is how to get in touch with PSR:
(1) Join the family reunion discussion list  <[email-masked]>.
    To subscribe to the list send e-mail with your name and e-mail address
    to <[email-masked]>.
(2) Send e-mail to
      <[email-masked]>
      <[email-masked]> Krzysztof Wlodarski (can correspond in Polish)
(3) Write us at the following address:
    Professionals for Spouse Reunification
    478 W. Hamilton Ave., Suite 187
    Campbell, CA 95008

Following are the letters to editors, senators, representatives
along with hints/instructions on how to send them.

Letters to members of Committee on the Judiciary (dealing with immigration)
in senate or House of Representatives are also available (send e-mail to
<[email-masked]>).  People in these committees can help in
introducing the bills for discussion/voting in Congress, so they are important.

(1) Letter to the ethnic newspaper, magazine, or other organization.
Hints/instructions:
(a) before sending a letter translate and change it,
    as you consider appropriate.
(b) politely request that the newspaper/magazine print your letter.
(c) Provide copies of letters to senators/representatives, make
    others' action easier.

------------------ cut below this line ---------------------

                                                Your Name
                                                Your street address
                                                Town, state, zip code

                                                Date

         Dear Editor,

         I would like to bring to your attention a serious problem being
         faced by permanent residents that marry abroad.  These permanent
         have to wait for several years before the non-resident spouse is
         issued an immigrant visa under the family preference category F2A.
         According to the State Department Visa Bulletin the applications
         that are processed right now have been filed over 2.5 years ago.
         There is about 875,000 applicants waiting in this visa category
         and there is an annual limit of 135,000 visas this year, and
         90,000 beginning next year as provided by the Immigration and
         Nationality Act of 1990.  Thus, one may expect the waiting time to
         increase significantly.
         In this situation the spouses that are waiting for the immigrant
         visas are routinely denied visitor or student visas on the basis
         that the non-immigrant visas cannot be granted to someone that has
         an immigrant intent.  The forced separation is especially hard on
         newly married couples and entails meaningless suffering.
         There is a legislation S.618 in the U.S. Senate and analogous bill
         HR 3182 in the Congress that would alleviate this situation.  The
         legislation would allow admission to the U.S. to visit the
         resident spouse or to come to study in the United States. If
         somebody overstayed or fell out of status, for example, by working
         illegally then the processing of the immigrant application would
         be delayed.
         It is time to call or write Senators and Congressmen now.  Without
         the broad support the proposed bill will never become the law and
         the senseless separation will continue without an option for longer
         visits.

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Your Name

---------------- cut above this line -----------------------

(2) Letter to senator.
Hints/instructions:
(a) Find the names of 2 senators in your state from a telephone book
    on blue (federal government) pages under "Senator". If it is not there,
    try to find some page titled "Elected Government Officials" or similar
    in the near or on blue pages.  Check the phone book table of content.
    If everything fails call the local telephone directory.
(b) Use this name in the letter and address:
    The Honorable ______________ <- Senator's name
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC 20510
(c) Modify the letter as you feel appropriate.
(d) request a copy of the letter in LaTeX/PostScript format if you can print it.
(e) include your address in the letter and request a reply.

--------------------- cut below this line ----------------------
                                                Your Name
                                                Your Street Address
                                                Town, State, Zip Code

                                                Today's Date

         Honorable (Senator's name)
         United States Senate
         Washington, DC. 20510

         Dear Senator:

         I would like to bring to your attention a serious problem being
         faced by all Permanent Residents of the U.S. who choose to marry
         abroad. According to the Visa Bulletin published by the State
         Department these Permanent Residents currently have to wait for
         over 2.5 years before the non-resident spouse is issued an
         immigrant visa and is allowed to join the U.S. resident spouse,
         here in the States. What makes this separation even more painful
         is the fact that the non-resident spouse is routinely denied
         visiting privileges.

         Please, be informed that a bill S.618 was introduced by Senator
         Don Reigle which would alleviate the situation.  A companion bill
         HR 3182 was also introduced in the House by Rep. Frank Pallone.
         The bill would allow a non-resident spouse to come to visit his or
         her resident spouse during the waiting period for the immigrant
         visa, penalizing those who dropped out of their non-immigrant
         status by delaying their immigrant visa processing.  The bill has
         several advantages:
         (1) It does NOT increase the number of immigrant visas;
         (2) It does NOT allow non-resident spouses to work or benefit from
         social and government programs;
         (3) It prevents prolonged and difficult family separation;
         (4) It provides means for those who want to visit their families
         legally;
         (5) It will help U.S. economy, as Permanent Residents will spend
         their money in the U.S. and not abroad.

         Please, support this humane legislation that would relieve the
         unnecessary stress and meaningless suffering put on families that
         are often in their formative stage.  This legislation is broadly
         supported in ethnic and business communities.

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Your Name

-------------------- cut above this line --------------------

(3) Letter to a Member of the House of Representatives (Congressman).

Hints/instructions:
(a) Find the name of a congressman in your district from a telephone book
    on blue (federal government) pages under "Congressman". If it is not there,
    try to find some page titled "Elected Government Officials" or similar
    in the near or on blue pages.  Check the phone book table of content.
    If everything fails call the local telephone directory.
(b) Use this name in the letter and address:
    The Honorable ______________ <- Congressman's name
    United States House of Representatives
    Washington, DC 20515
(c) Modify the letter as you feel appropriate.
(d) request a copy of the letter in LaTeX/PostScript format
    if you can print it.
(e) include your address in the letter and request a reply.

--------------------- cut below this line -----------------

                                                Your Name
                                                Your Street Address
                                                Town, State, Zip Code

                                                Today's Date

         Honorable (Congressman's name)
         US House of Representatives
         Washington, DC. 20515

         Dear Representative:

         I would like to bring to your attention a serious problem being
         faced by all Permanent Residents of the U.S. who choose to marry
         abroad. According to the Visa Bulletin published by the State
         Department these Permanent Residents currently have to wait for
         over 2.5 years before the non-resident spouse is issued an
         immigrant visa and is allowed to join the U.S. resident spouse,
         here in the States. What makes this separation even more painful
         is the fact that the non-resident spouse is routinely denied
         visiting privileges.

         Please, be informed that a bill HR 3182 was introduced by Rep.
         Frank Pallone which would alleviate the situation.  Analogous bill
         S.618  was also introduced in the House by Senator Don Reigle.
         The bill would allow a non-resident spouse to come to visit his or
         her resident spouse during the waiting period for the immigrant
         visa, penalizing those who dropped out of their non-immigrant
         status by delaying their immigrant visa processing.  The bill has
         several advantages:
         (1) It does NOT increase the number of immigrant visas;
         (2) It does NOT allow non-resident spouses to work or benefit from
         social and government programs;
         (3) It prevents prolonged and difficult family separation;
         (4) It provides means for those who want to visit their families
         legally;
         (5) It will help U.S. economy, as Permanent Residents will spend
         their money in the U.S. and not abroad.

         Please, support this humane legislation that would relieve the
         unnecessary stress and meaningless suffering put on families that
         are often in their formative stage.  This legislation is broadly
         supported in ethnic and business communities.

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Your Name

--------------------- cut above this line ------------------