[Federal Register: June 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 120)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35847-35852]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22jn06-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
22 CFR Part 42
[Public Notice 5445]
RIN 1400-AC17
Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption; Intercountry Adoption
Act of 2000; Consular Officer Procedures in Convention Cases
AGENCY: State Department.
ACTION: Proposed Rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This proposed rule amends U.S. Department of State regulations
to provide for intercountry adoptions that will occur pursuant to the
Hague Convention on Protection of Children
[[Page 35848]]
and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (hereinafter the
``Convention'') and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (hereinafter
the ``IAA'') This proposed rule addresses consular officer processing
of immigration petitions, visas, and Convention certificates in cases
of children immigrating to the United States in connection with an
adoption subject to the Convention.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 24, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by any of the following
methods:
E-mail: visaregs@state.gov. You must include the RIN
number in the subject line of your message.
Mail: Chief, Legislation and Regulations Division, Visa
Office, U.S. Department of State, 2401 E Street, NW., Washington DC
20520-0106.
Fax: 202-663-3898. You must include the RIN number in the
subject line of your message.
Persons with access to the Internet may also view this document and
provide comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site at: http://www.regulations.gov/index.cfm
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara J. Kennedy, Legislation and
Regulations Division, Visa Services, U.S. Department of State, 2401 E
Street, NW., Room L-603, Washington, DC 20520-0106; telephone 202-663-
1206 or e-mail KennedyBJ@state.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in
Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) is a multilateral treaty
that provides a framework for the adoption of children habitually
resident in one country party to the Convention by persons habitually
resident in another party to the Convention. It establishes procedures
to be followed in such adoption cases and imposes safeguards to protect
the best interests of the children at issue. It also provides for
recognition of adoptions that occur pursuant to the Convention. In the
United States, the implementing legislation for the Hague Convention is
the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA). To implement the
Convention, the IAA makes two significant changes to the Immigration
and Nationality Act (INA): (1) It creates a new definition of child
applicable in Convention adoption cases, INA 101(b)(1)(G) (``Hague
child''), that roughly parallels the current ``orphan'' definition, INA
101(b)(1)(F), but that applies only to children being adopted from
Convention parties. (2) It incorporates Hague procedures into the
immigration process for children covered by INA 101(b)(1)(G), most
directly by precluding approval of an immigration petition under this
classification until the Department has certified that the child was
adopted in accordance with the Convention and the IAA. Separately, the
IAA requires domestic entities to recognize adoptions that have been so
certified by the Department.
The Department of Homeland Security will be issuing separate but
complementary regulations relating to the immigration process for Hague
children. Additional regulations will implement other aspects of the
Convention and the IAA, such as on the accreditation/approval of
adoption service providers to perform adoption services in cases
covered by the Convention (22 CFR Part 96), preservation of records (22
CFR Part 98), and certificate issuance with respect to U.S. court
proceedings (22 CFR Part 97). Further background on the Convention and
IAA is provided in the Preamble to the Final Rule on the Accreditation
of Agencies and Approval of Persons under the Intercountry Adoption Act
of 2000, Sections III and IV, 71 FR 8064-8066 (February 15, 2006).
The Proposed Regulation
This proposed rule establishes new procedures that consular
officers will follow in adjudicating Hague child cases. Although much
of the petition and visa processes will be similar to the current
orphan case procedures, there are important changes. Perhaps most
significantly, U.S. authorities will perform the bulk of petition and
visa adjudication work much earlier than under current practice. This
early review will enable U.S. authorities to make the determination
required by Article 5 of the Convention that the child will be eligible
to enter and reside permanently in the receiving state prior to the
adoption or grant of custody. The regulation also provides that, once
the country of origin has provided appropriate notification that the
adoption or custody grant has occurred, the consular officer will issue
a certificate to the U.S. adoptive or prospective adoptive parent if
the officer is satisfied that the requirements of the Convention and
IAA have been met, and only if so will the consular officer approve the
immigration petition and complete visa processing. To streamline the
process, the regulation departs from current practice by allowing
consular officers to approve Hague child petitions regardless of
whether the petition was originally filed with the Department or DHS.
Paragraph (a) of the proposed Sec. 42.24 sets forth short forms
and abbreviations of terms used in this section that do not appear in
the general definitions for 22 CFR Part 42.
Paragraph (b) clarifies that INA 101(b)(1)(G) is the only
definition of child applicable to adoptions subject to the Convention.
Children who are immigrating to the United States from a Convention
country in connection with an adoption will not be classifiable under
INA 101(b)(1)(F). The Convention obligates Contracting Parties to apply
the Convention in all cases that fall within its scope. Continuing to
allow children to qualify under INA 101(b)(1)(F), which provides for
children to enter the United States as part of the intercountry
adoption process, but which does not incorporate Hague procedures,
would be inconsistent with this mandate. (Note, however, that it may
still be possible for a child adopted in a Hague country to qualify for
a visa pursuant to INA 101(b)(1)(E). INA 101(b)(1)(E) is designed to
allow immigration of an adopted child who is an established part of an
existing family. It generally requires that the child have been in the
legal custody of, and have resided with, the adoptive parent(s) for at
least two years. Unlike INA 101(b)(1)(F), INA 101(b)(1)(E) is not
targeted at children habitually resident abroad being adopted by
parents habitually resident in the United States, but rather at
adoptive families formed while both parents and child were habitually
resident abroad. A subsequent move to the United States would not
trigger U.S. procedural obligations under the Convention.
Paragraph (c) provides that the provisions of Sec. 42.24 will
govern the operations of consular officers in processing Hague child
cases. It also incorporates the Secretary's non-delegable authority to
waive any requirement of the IAA or these regulations in a particular
case in the interests of justice or to prevent grave physical harm to
the child, to the extent consistent with the Convention. This authority
is granted in IAA section 502. The Department does not anticipate that
the Secretary will exercise this authority, which would require her
personal consideration of the matter, except in the most rare and
unusual of circumstances.
Paragraph (d) states the general rules that will govern the
adoption process in Hague child cases and the division of functions
between DHS and the Department. To qualify as a Hague
[[Page 35849]]
child, a DHS or consular officer must review and provisionally approve
an immigration petition for the child (I-600) and a consular officer
must review and annotate the child's visa application prior to the
foreign adoption or custody proceeding. A consular officer will give
final approval to the petition and visa application only after the
adoption or custody proceeding, and before a visa may be issued to the
child.
This procedure reflects a significant shift in timing of consular
processing of adoption cases that is effectively mandated by the
Convention. Under current practices, the determination of whether the
child will be permitted to enter the United States is generally made
only after the adoption or custody proceeding has been completed.
Article 5 of the Convention requires that the receiving country make
such a determination much earlier in the process. Pursuant to this
Article, the adoption may not take place until the competent
authorities of the receiving State have (1) Determined that the
prospective adoptive parents are eligible and suited to adopt; (2)
ensured that the prospective adoptive parents have been counseled as
may be necessary; and (3) determined that the child is or will be
authorized to enter and reside permanently in that State. These
requirements effectively mean that U.S. authorities must provisionally
review the child's case before an adoption or custody proceeding under
the Convention takes place abroad.
Paragraph (e) sets forth the procedures a consular officer will
follow if a petition is filed abroad with a consular officer. Consular
officers are instructed to follow DHS requirements in making a decision
on provisional approval of the petition. Based on consultations with
DHS, the Department anticipates that before providing provisional
approval, a consular or DHS officer will need to establish that DHS has
granted I-600A approval (concluding that prospective adoptive parents
are eligible and suitable to adopt). In addition, a consular or DHS
officer will need to determine whether, but for the absence of a final
adoption or custody order, the proposed adoption or custody grant
complies with all Convention requirements and whether the child falls
within the Hague child definition. In some cases, as is current
practice, DHS will carry out an initial review of classification but
request that a consular officer do additional reviews, determinations
or investigations. The regulation makes clear that the consular officer
will provide this service to DHS so that it can decide whether to grant
provisional approval of the petition.
Paragraph (f) instructs consular officers to approve a petition
provisionally if, in accordance with applicable DHS requirements, it
appears the child will be classifiable as a Hague child and that the
proposed adoption or grant of custody will be in compliance with the
Convention. If a consular officer knows or has reason to believe the
petition is not provisionally approvable, the consular officer must
return the petition to DHS for processing in accordance with existing
procedures for consular officer suspension of action in petition cases,
which are set forth in Sec. 42.43.
Paragraph (g) requires an immigrant visa application for the child,
together with supporting documentation identified in 42.63 (Application
forms and other documentation) and 42.65 (Supporting documents) and any
required fees, to be submitted to a U.S. consular officer located in
the consular district in which the child's visa will be processed (as
determined by Sec. 42.61) for a provisional review of visa
eligibility. Paragraph (g) also requires visa applicants to comply with
the remainder of the requirements normally applicable to persons filing
an immigrant visa petition to the extent practicable to do so: Sec.
42.62 (personal appearance and interview of applicant), Sec. 42.64
(passport requirements), Sec. 42.66 (medical examination) and Sec.
42.67 (execution of application, registration, and fingerprinting).
Because conclusions drawn at this stage of processing will be critical
to the determination of the child's eligibility to enter and reside
permanently in the United States, it will be important for the consular
officer to make as comprehensive a review of visa eligibility as
possible. In some cases, however, it will not be practicable to satisfy
all visa processing requirements prior to the adoption or custody
grant, in particular with respect to requirements that require actions
to be taken by the applicant child. For example, it may not be
practicable for a child to travel a considerable distance to be
examined by a panel physician or be interviewed by a consular officer
until the adoption or custody proceeding has taken place. Thus the
regulation does not require applicants to comply with Sec. 42.62,
Sec. 42.64, Sec. 42.66 or Sec. 42.67 at the provisional review stage
if it is not practicable to do so.
Paragraph (h) instructs the consular officer to determine visa
eligibility provisionally based on the information provided. The
consular officer must follow all procedures that would normally be
required to adjudicate an immigrant visa, except to the extent the
consular officer cannot because the applicant has not provided the
necessary input. For example, the consular officer does not need to
examine a panel physician's report if the applicant has not undergone a
panel physician exam. If there is other information in the record
before the consular officer indicating that the child may have a
disease that would result in a medical ineligibility, however, the
consular officer will have to take this information into account as
part of the provisional review process.
If it appears that the child will not be ineligible for a visa, the
consular officer will so annotate the visa application. If it appears
the child will be ineligible for a visa, the rule requires the consular
officer to inform the prospective adoptive parents of the ineligibility
and give them an opportunity to show that it will be overcome. If,
after the prospective adoptive parents have had such an opportunity,
the child continues to appear ineligible, the consular officer will be
required to deny the visa in accordance with the normal procedures set
forth in Sec. 42.81. Although these procedures normally apply only to
executed visa applications, this proposed rule will authorize consular
officers to follow the procedures set forth in Sec. 42.81 even if the
application has not been executed. This adjustment to normal procedures
is required because in at least some cases the applicant may not have
complied with Sec. 42.67 (execution of application, registration, and
fingerprinting). If, in the course of reviewing the visa-related
materials, the consular officer comes to know or have reason to believe
that the petition is not approvable, the consular officer will be
required to return the petition to DHS for processing in accordance
with existing procedures for consular officer suspension of action in
petition cases, set forth in Sec. 42.43.
Paragraph (i) provides that, if both the petition and visa
provisional reviews are concluded favorably, and the consular officer
is aware of no grounds that would preclude the entry of the child into
the United States, the consular officer will notify the country of
origin that the steps required under Article 5 have been taken, so that
the adoption or custody proceeding may proceed. The Department intends
that, in general, the consular officer's notification will be
transmitted to the country of origin through the relevant adoption
service provider.
Paragraph (j) provides that, once the country of origin has
notified the consular officer that the adoption or grant of custody has
occurred and once any remaining petition or visa-related
[[Page 35850]]
requirements have been met, the consular officer will reexamine the
case. (Thus, for example, if it was not practicable for the child to
submit to a panel physician's exam at the provisional review stage, the
exam must be done prior to this final stage of consular officer
review.) If, upon review of additionally submitted information, the
consular officer is satisfied that the Convention and IAA requirements
have been met, the consular officer will affix a certificate so
indicating to the adoption decree or grant of custody. This certificate
will meet the requirements of INA section 204(d)(2), which mandates
certification by the Department prior to petition approval, as well as
the requirements of IAA section 301(a), which addresses certificate
issuance by the Department to parents. Paragraph (j) also instructs
consular officers that, for purposes of deciding whether to issue a
certificate, the fact that a consular officer previously provided
notification to the country of origin pursuant to paragraph (i) (i.e.,
the Article 5 notification) with respect to the case is prima facie
evidence of compliance with the Convention and IAA. The earlier
provisional approval of the petition, and Article 5 notification, will
have required a finding of Convention and IAA compliance on every
matter except the existence of a final adoption or custody decree.
Thus, following appropriate notification from the country of origin
regarding completion of the adoption or custody proceedings, and
compliance with all remaining visa and petition requirements, the prior
determinations should be considered a sufficient basis on which to
issue a certificate except in very unusual cases in which a consular
officer becomes aware of information calling into question Convention
and IAA compliance.
Paragraph (k) instructs consular officers to notify the country of
origin in those rare cases for which they are unable to certify
Convention and IAA compliance as provided in paragraph (j). For
example, new information may be discovered that reveals that
birthparent consent was fraudulently obtained. Article 24 of the
Convention provides that recognition of an adoption may be refused by a
Contracting State if the adoption is manifestly contrary to its public
policy, taking into account the best interests of the child. The
country of origin is notified so that it can be involved in determining
appropriate next steps in the case.
Following the determination of whether to issue the certificate
described in paragraph (j), paragraph (l) instructs the consular
officer to perform a final adjudication of the petition and visa
application in accordance with standard procedures.
There may also be circumstances in which, although the adoption is
certified as being in compliance with the Convention and the IAA, a
visa cannot be issued to the child, at least in the immediate term. For
example, if the panel physician medical exam is not performed prior to
Article 5 notification, completion of that exam may reveal that the
child has a medical ineligibility. Such cases will usually be resolved
through treatment of an illness or through the use of Department and
DHS waiver authorities in appropriate cases.
Paragraph (m) instructs consular officers unable to give final
approval to the petition at this stage to follow standard procedures in
handling such cases, which include returning the petition to DHS for
possible revocation, pursuant to Sec. 42.43, and denial of the visa
pursuant to Sec. 42.81. If the petition is approvable but the visa
application is not, the visa must be refused in accordance with Sec.
42.81.
Regulatory Findings
Administrative Procedure Act
In accordance with provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act
governing rules promulgated by federal agencies that affect the public
(5 U.S.C. 552), the Department is publishing this proposed rule and
inviting public comment.
Regulatory Flexibility Act/Executive Order 13272: Small Business
The Department of State, in accordance with the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (Pub. L. 96-354, 5 U.S.C. 601-612) and Executive Order
13272, section 3(b), has evaluated the effects of this action of small
entities and has determined and hereby certifies that this rule would
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities.
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UFMA),
Public Law 104-4, 109 Stat. 48, 2 U.S.C. 1532, generally requires
agencies to prepare a statement before proposing any rule that may
result in an annual expenditure of $100 million or more by State,
local, or tribal governments, or by the private sector. This rule would
not result in any such expenditure, nor would it significantly or
uniquely affect small governments.
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996
This rule is not a major rule as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804, for
purposes of congressional review of agency rulemaking under the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, Public Law 104-
121. This rule would not result in an annual effect on the economy of
$100 million or more; a major increase in costs or prices; or
significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment,
productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based
companies to compete with foreign based companies in domestic and
export markets.
Executive Order 12866
The Department of State does not consider this rule to be a
``significant regulatory action'' within the scope of section 3(f)(1)
of Executive Order 12866. Nonetheless, the Department has reviewed the
rule to ensure its consistency with the regulatory philosophy and
principles set forth in the Executive Order.
Executive Orders 12372 and 13132: Federalism
This regulation will not have substantial direct effects on the
States, on the relationship between the national government and the
States, or the distribution of power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government. Nor will the rule have federalism
implications warranting the application of Executive Orders No. 12372
and No. 13132.
Executive Order 12988: Civil Justice Reform
The Department has reviewed the regulations in light of sections
3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order No. 12988 to eliminate ambiguity,
minimize litigation, establish clear legal standards, and reduce
burden.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule does not impose any new reporting or recordkeeping
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35. The Department plans for applicants for visas for children
adopted under the Hague Convention to use visa application forms that
have already been approved by OMB. The forms related to the petition
process, such as the I600 and I600A, are DHS forms, and DHS would be
responsible for compliance with the PRA, where it applies, with respect
to any changes in those forms. We currently anticipate that the
certificates to be issued by
[[Page 35851]]
consular officers will not involve the collection of additional
information not already collected. Moreover, Section 503(c) of the IAA
exempts from the PRA any information collection ``for use as a
Convention record as defined'' in the IAA. Information collected on
Convention adoptions in connection with the visa, petition, and
certificate processes would relate directly to specific Convention
adoptions (whether final or not), and therefore would fall within this
exemption. Accordingly, the Department has concluded that this
regulation will not involve an ``information collection'' under the
Paperwork Reduction Act.
List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 42
Immigration, Passports, Visas, Intercountry adoption, Convention
certificates.
In view of the foregoing, 22 CFR part 42 would be amended as
follows:
PART 42--VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION
AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED
1. The authority citation for part 42 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1104 and 1182; Pub. L. 107-56, sec 421; The
Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of
Intercountry Adoption (done at the Hague, May 29, 1993), S. Treaty
Doc. 105-51 (1998), 1870 U.N.T.S. 167 (Reg. No. 31922 (1993)); The
Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, 42 U.S.C. 14901-14954, Pub. L.
106-279.
2. Add a new Sec. 42.24 to subpart C to read as follows:
Sec. 42.24 Adoption under the Hague Convention on Protection of
Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and the
Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
(a) For purpose of this section, the following definitions apply:
Convention means the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-
operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption done at The Hague on May
29, 1993.
DHS means the Department of Homeland Security and encompasses the
former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) or any successor
entity designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security to assume the
functions vested in the Attorney General by the IAA relating to the
INS's responsibilities.
IAA means the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, Public Law 106-279
(2000) (42 U.S.C. 14901-14954), as amended from time to time.
(b) A child habitually resident in a country with which the
Convention is in force with the United States who is traveling to the
United States in connection with an adoption must qualify for visa
status under the provisions of INA section 101(b)(1)(G) as provided in
this section. Such a child shall not be accorded status under INA
section 101(b)(1)(F).
(c) The provisions of this section govern the operations of
consular officers in processing cases involving children for whom
classification is sought under INA section 101(b)(1)(G), unless the
Secretary has personally waived any requirement of the IAA or these
regulations in a particular case in the interests of justice or to
prevent grave physical harm to the child, to the extent consistent with
the Convention.
(d) An alien child shall only be classifiable under INA section
101(b)(1)(G) if, before the child is adopted or legal custody for the
purpose of adoption is granted, (1) A petition for the child has been
received and provisionally approved by a DHS officer or, where
authorized by DHS, by a consular officer, and (2) a visa application
for the child has been received and annotated in accordance with
paragraph (h) of this section by a consular officer. No alien child
shall be issued a visa pursuant to INA section 101(b)(1)(G) unless the
petition and visa application are finally approved by a consular
officer.
(e) If a petition for a child under INA section 101(b)(1)(G) is
received by a consular officer, the consular officer will review the
petition for the purpose of determining whether the petition can be
provisionally approved in accordance with applicable DHS requirements.
If a petition for a child under INA section 101(b)(1)(G) is received by
a DHS officer, the consular officer will conduct any reviews,
determinations or investigations requested by DHS with regard to the
petition and classification determination in accordance with applicable
DHS procedures.
(f) A petition shall be provisionally approved by the consular
officer if, in accordance with applicable DHS requirements, it appears
that the child will be classifiable under INA 101(b)(1)(G) and that the
proposed adoption or grant of custody will be in compliance with the
Convention. If the consular officer knows or has reason to believe the
petition is not provisionally approvable, the consular officer shall
return it to DHS pursuant to Sec. 42.43.
(g) After a petition has been provisionally approved, a completed
visa application form, any supporting documents required pursuant to
Sec. 42.63 and Sec. 42.65, and any required fees must be submitted to
the consular officer in accordance with Sec. 42.61 for a provisional
review of visa eligibility. The requirements in Sec. 42.62, Sec.
42.64, Sec. 42.66 and Sec. 42.67 shall also be satisfied to the
extent practicable.
(h) A consular officer shall provisionally determine visa
eligibility based on a review of the visa application, submitted
supporting documents, and the provisionally approved petition. In so
doing, the consular officer shall follow all procedures required to
adjudicate the visa to the extent possible in light of the degree of
compliance with Sec. Sec. 42.62-42.67. If it appears, based on the
available information, that the child would not be ineligible under INA
section 212 or other applicable law to receive a visa, the consular
officer shall so annotate the visa application. If evidence of an
ineligibility is discovered during the review of the visa application,
the prospective adoptive parents shall be informed of the ineligibility
and given an opportunity to establish that it will be overcome. If the
visa application cannot be annotated, the consular officer shall deny
the visa in accordance with Sec. 42.81, regardless of whether the
application has yet been executed in accordance with Sec. 42.67(a). If
in addition the consular officer comes to know or have reason to
believe that the petition is not approvable as provided in Sec. 42.43,
the consular officer shall return the petition to DHS pursuant to that
section.
(i) If the petition has been provisionally approved, the visa
application has been annotated in accordance with subparagraph (h), and
the consular officer is aware of no grounds that would preclude the
entry of the child into the United States following the adoption or
grant of custody, the consular officer shall notify the country of
origin that the steps required by Article 5 of the Convention have been
taken.
(j) After the consular officer has received appropriate
notification from the country of origin that the adoption or grant of
custody has occurred and any remaining requirements established by DHS
or Sec. Sec. 42.61-42.67 have been fulfilled, the consular officer, if
satisfied that the requirements of the IAA and the Convention have been
met with respect to the adoption or grant of custody, shall affix to
the adoption decree or grant of custody a certificate so indicating.
This certificate shall constitute the certification required by IAA
section 301(a) and INA section 204(d)(2). For purposes of determining
whether to issue a certificate, the fact that a consular officer
notified the country of
[[Page 35852]]
origin pursuant to paragraph (i) that the steps required by Article 5
of the Convention had been taken shall constitute prima facie evidence
of compliance with the Convention and the IAA.
(k) If the consular officer is unable to issue the certificate
described in paragraph (j) of this section, the consular officer shall
notify the country of origin of the consular officer's decision.
(l) After the consular officer determines whether to issue the
certificate described in paragraph (j) of this section, the consular
officer shall finally adjudicate the petition and visa application in
accordance with standard procedures.
(m) If the consular officer is unable to give final approval to the
visa application or the petition, then the consular officer shall, as
appropriate, return the petition to DHS for appropriate action in
accordance with applicable DHS procedures and/or refuse the visa
application in accordance with Sec. 42.43 or Sec. 42.81. The consular
officer shall notify the country of origin that the visa has been
refused.
Dated: June 9, 2006.
Maura Harty,
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-9596 Filed 6-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P