bei© international education: June 2005

Viajar para outro país com a finalidade de aprender outro idioma ou para freqüentar algum curso está se tornando cada vez mais popular na sociedade global em que vivemos. Os benefícios são inúmeros, desde melhores oportunidades de trabalho até um melhor entendimento do mundo que nos cerca.

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bei International Education

United States Passport Application

United States Passport Application

NEW YORK, NY - Due to the overwhelming number of requests for a detailed information guide on how to apply for a United States passport, or replace a lost, stolen or expired passport, the United States Immigration Support (an independent organization) has developed the "United States Passport Application and Renewal Kit". It was carefully developed to help applicants through the U.S. passport application, renewal and replacement process.
Some facts about United States Passports:

What is a passport?
A passport is an official government document that certifies one's identity and citizenship. It is also an internationally recognized travel document. A valid United States passport may be used to enter most foreign countries. Nearly 7 million U.S. passports are issued every year.

Who issues United States passports?
Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to issue United States passports. The process of applying for a United States passport can be frustrating experience. It is recommended that all applicants follow the instructions included the application package to assure a successful application.

The United States Passport Application Kit
The information in the "United States Passport Application and Renewal Kit" will assist you in determining your eligibility for a U.S. passport and help you successfully apply for an American passport.

A statute of limitations on unlawful entry would humanely address illegal immigration

Washington DC WASHINGTON, DC - A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate by Ted Kennedy and John McCain offers a plan for dealing with the nation's illegal immigration problem. Undocumented immigrants would be able to pay a fine, receive a three-year work visa, renewable once, and then, in McCain's words, "get in the back of the line for a green card and eventually become citizens." Foreigners could enter as temporary guest-workers and then apply for permanent residency.

The approach has merit: Giving visa-holders the opportunity to stay means that today's guest workers won't become tomorrow's illegal workers. But the bill sets a cap on the annual number of temporary-work visas at 400,000. With an estimated eight to 10 million undocumented immigrants now in the country, not to mention continued emigration pressures from Mexico, Central America and Asia, undocumented immigration will probably continue.

Even if Congress raised the ceiling on annual legal immigration, demand from some areas would probably continue to exceed the supply of legal admissions. Illegal immigration is a hard problem to solve because it involves myriad issues that are difficult to reconcile: domestic and international politics, competing economic interests, the need to prosecute lawbreakers, and the desire to be humane. But we often overlook simple solutions that have historical and legal precedent. We used to have one policy that is worth revisiting: a time limit -- a statute of limitations -- on prosecuting unauthorized presence.

Source: The Washington Post
Photo: Associated Press

Another Extension on Tougher Passports

U.S. Gives 27 Nations Another Extension on Tougher Passports

Visa Waiver Passports WASHINGTON, DC - Aviation security is an administration priority, and analysts say the deadline extensions are evidence of how difficult it is to make the nation's air travel system secure. The introduction of biometric passports has been hindered by the number of countries involved and by disagreements over privacy, a problem that may impair the passports' effectiveness. "These initiatives require extensive international cooperation," said Rey Koslowski, director of the Research Program on Border Control and Homeland Security at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J. "It's a much more difficult task to reach agreements among countries on technological standards on privacy than picking out the technology itself."

The countries with visa waivers are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Last year about 15 million people from those countries came to the United States.

In 2002, Congress extended by a year those countries' October 2003 deadline to produce machine-readable passports with biometric identification. When it became clear that some of the European countries would miss the October 2004 deadline, it was extended to October of this year. European countries have been wary of the project, citing cost and privacy concerns, and some countries have pointed out that the United States does not require biometric information in its own passports. Regulations announced Wednesday require the visa-waiver countries to add a tamper-proof digital photo to passports by this October, instead of the biometric chip.

A test of "e-passports" using that technology began Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport and at the international airport in Sydney, Australia. Airline crews from the United States, Australia and New Zealand will use the passports this summer, allowing Homeland Security to test the software. By October 2006, the 27 nations must include the biometric chip in their passports, but it will only contain a photograph, not a fingerprint or iris scan, said Homeland Security spokesman Jared Egan. He attributed the decision to place only photographs on the chip to privacy concerns "within the U.S. and internationally." Egan said a digital photo fulfilled the congressional mandate for a biometric identifier. But others have argued that a photo alone is insufficient.

Source: Los Angeles Times
Photo: Associated Press

Bipartisan proposal for immigration overhaul

Bipartisan proposal for immigration overhaul

WASHINGTON, DC - Calling the nation's immigration system broken, a bipartisan group of House and Senate Washington DC lawmakers proposed a major overhaul yesterday that would allow immigrants to work here temporarily and seek citizenship later.

Using the framework of a guest-worker plan touted by President George W. Bush, lawmakers said the measure aims to fix a "broken" system that has allowed millions of undocumented immigrants, particularly entering through Mexico, to work underground and possibly pose security risks.

"The status quo is simply unacceptable," said Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), a co-sponsor of the legislation, adding that the measure requires a partnership with Mexico. "One of the mistakes of the past is to assume we can control illegal immigration on our own." Advocates and lawmakers said the bipartisan legislation stands its best chance of passage this year, particularly because Bush favors such a plan and can nudge the more conservative House. They also say lawmakers are more likely to act on the sensitive topic this year and not during next year's elections. Lawmakers said the measure is not an amnesty program.

"Our borders are not secure. This is a national security issue," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a bill co-sponsor. The plan essentially sets up another visa program, mostly for low-skilled workers. Under the plan, foreign workers must register, have a job lined up and pay a $500 fee. They can work here for up to six years in hard-to-fill jobs. Illegal immigrants already here could also sign up for the program after they pay a $1,000 fine and undergo a background check. At the end of six years and another $1,000 fine, they can apply for a green card.

The measure caps the visas at 400,000 a year, but allows for an increase as needed.

The measure also aims to reduce immigration application backlogs, give states more money to detain illegal immigrants, and boost border security. "This bill does not provide a free pass to anyone," said Kennedy, adding that it doesn't guarantee citizenship. "We offer a fair deal.""

Source: Baltimore Sun
Photo: Associated Press

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