The United States (US) Embassy says under the recently passed Adam Walsh Act all family-based immigrant visa petitions will be screened to root out petitioners convicted of crimes against children.
In a press release yesterday, the embassy said under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act US embassies must screen I-30 petitioners to ensure that they have not been convicted of “specific criminal offences against a minor.” The visas must now be filed only with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) in the US. All petitions that were approved at the Georgetown embassy after July 27, 2006 and are pending visa issuance must also be returned to the USCIS for continued processing in the US.
The embassy said American citizens and legal permanent residents can obtain information on how to file an I-30 with USCIS at their website located at www.uscis.gov. Persons can also contact the visa inquiries unit at email address visageorge@state.gov or at telephone numbers 225-7965 between the hours of 8 am and 12 pm and 1 pm and 4 pm weekdays, for more information.
The embassy said it regrets the inconvenience the change causes both petitioners and beneficiaries but the law is clear. The embassy said it looks forward to ensuring the smoothest transition and fastest processing of all visa applications.
