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SEOUL, South Korea - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today naturalized 55 noncitizen members of the U.S. military and 17 military spouses at the Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison here. The special ceremony marked a milestone for USCIS, with 196 members of the military becoming U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea this year, more than in any other year since the inception of the overseas naturalization program in 2004.
Before administering the Oath of Allegiance, USCIS Bangkok District Director Robert Looney remarked that this achievement is a result of USCIS's willingness to travel to locations throughout South Korea and arrange for members of the military community to become citizens. Since 2004, USCIS has naturalized 961 members of the U.S. military and 134 military spouses in the Republic of Korea.
During her keynote remarks, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Kathleen Stephens addressed the new citizens. "You are from different countries and different backgrounds, but you are united by your act of service that has enabled you to become a U.S. citizen," she said. "You have chosen not just to live in America, but to serve and protect the United States."
The ambassador also cited the stories of several citizenship candidates, including one soldier who was a student in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. She said, "That day became not only part of our national history, but also part of his personal history and was part of the reason he joined the U.S. Army."
Today also marked an achievement for a family originally from Nigeria: the spouse became the third member of his family to become a U.S. citizen in Korea. He followed in the path of his wife, who naturalized in Korea last year through her service in the Army, and their daughter, who naturalized as a military dependent child.
The new citizens were born in 30 counties: Albania, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, Dominica, France, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Palau, the Philippines, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Since September 2001, USCIS has naturalized more than 63,000 members of the military in ceremonies across the United States and in 20 countries abroad. USCIS has also naturalized more than 820 military spouses during ceremonies in 14 countries since 2008.
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WASHINGTON—On July 1, 2010, the Vital Statistics Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico began issuing new, more secure certified copies of birth certificates to U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico because of a new Puerto Rico birth certificate law. After Sept. 30, 2010, all certified copies of birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010, will become invalid. This new law does not affect the U.S. citizenship status of individuals born in Puerto Rico. It only affects the validity of certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates.
How will this law impact the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) process?
New Employees
- All certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates are acceptable for Form I-9 purposes through Sept. 30, 2010.
- Beginning Oct. 1, 2010, only certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates issued on or after July 1, 2010, are acceptable for Form I-9 purposes.
- Beginning Oct. 1, 2010, if an employee presents for List C a birth certificate issued by the Vital Statistics Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the employer must look at the date the certified copy of the birth certificate was issued to ensure that it is still valid.
Existing Employees
Employers must not re-verify the employment eligibility of existing employees who presented a certified copy of a Puerto Rico birth certificate for Form I-9 purposes and whose employment eligibility was verified on Form I-9 prior to Oct. 1, 2010.
Federal Contractors
Employers awarded a federal contract that contains the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause have special Form I-9 rules for the verification of existing employees.
- If completing new Forms I-9 for existing employees, certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates are acceptable as a List C document under the following circumstances:
- Prior to Oct. 1, 2010, all certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates are acceptable for Form I-9 purposes.
- Beginning Oct. 1, 2010, only certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates issued on or after July 1, 2010, are acceptable for Form I-9 purposes.
- If updating existing Forms I-9, an employer must not ask an employee to present a new certified copy of a Puerto Rico birth certificate if the employee presented a certified copy of a birth certificate issued in Puerto Rico before July 1, 2010 that was valid and acceptable for the Form I-9 at the time it was presented.
See the E-Verify Supplemental Guide for Federal Contractors for more information on E-Verify and FAR requirements.
How will this law affect the retention of documents with Form I-9?
The new law prohibits Puerto Rico employers from keeping original certified copies of birth certificates issued in Puerto Rico but allows employers to keep photocopies of these documents. Employers who choose to make photocopies of documents their employees present when completing Form I-9 must do so for all employees, regardless of national origin or citizenship status.
For more information about Form I-9, visit www.uscis.gov. More information about birth certificates issued in Puerto Rico can be found at www.prfaa.com/birthcertificates and www.prfaa.com/certificadosdenacimiento
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