Legislation Recently Signed Into Law

November 7^th, 2000

H.R. 2883, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (Public Law No. 106-395) was signed on 10/30/00. Under this law, any foreign-born child under the age of 18 who has one citizen parent, resides in the custody of that citizen parent and is residing in the US as a permanent resident automatically becomes a citizen. The law applies to both natural and adopted children. The law also allows citizen parents to petition for the naturalization of noncitizen children who do not reside in the US. Lastly, the law changes the good moral character requirements for naturalization to forgive claims to US citizenship or voting if the individual is a long term resident and reasonably believed they were a citizen.

H.R. 2961, the International Patients Act of 2000 (Public Law No. 106-406) was signed on 11/01/00. This law creates a three-year pilot program which extends voluntary departure for up to three years for people who enter the US under the visa waiver program and are receiving medical treatment. This law is limited to 300 people per year.

H.R. 3244, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law No. 106-386) was signed on 10/28/00. This law creates nonimmigrant visas for women and child victims of human trafficking with an annual limit of 5,000 visas. There are also provisions to improve the Violence Against Women Act for battered immigrant women and children.

H.R. 3767, the Visa Waiver Permanent Program (Public Law No.106-396) was signed on 10/30/00. This law makes the Visa Waiver Pilot Program permanent.  It also: eases the requirements for filing an amended H1-B petition due to corporate restructuring, extends the immigrant investor (EB-5) pilot program until September 30, 2003, and creates a special immigration status for employees of INTELSAT, a satellite communications company that is in the process of privatizing, to maintain valid nonimmigration status after the company change. 

H.R. 4068, the Religious Workers Act of 2000 (Public Law No. 106-409) was signed on 10/31/00. This law extends the special immigrant religious worker visa program until September 30, 2003.

H.R. 4681 (Public Law No. 106-378) legislation that provides relief for Syrian Jews, was signed on 10/27/00. This law allows up to 2000 Syrian Jews who came to the United States in the early '80s and '90s and were granted asylum to adjust their status to permanent residence within one year of the date of enactment. It also allows adjustment for the spouses and children of these applicants.

H.R. 5234 (Public Law No.106-415) legislation to aid widows of the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act, was signed on 11/01/00. This law amends the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act to make widows of veterans eligible for citizenship. The law exempts applicants from the English language requirement.

S. 2812, (has not yet been assigned a Public Law No.) disability oath waiver legislation was signed by the President on 11/06/00. This bill provides a waiver of the oath of allegiance, which is normally required for naturalization, for those applicants whose disability prevents them for understanding the oath.

S. 3239, The International Broadcasters Act, was passed in Congress on 10/31/00 and has yet to be sent to the President: This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide special immigrant status for certain United States international broadcasting employees.