If you’re on an H-1B visa or any other legal status in the US, get ready for a new headache. The government’s new rule now requires you to carry your passport and I-797 approval notice at all times.
Indians will need to carry their immigration papers even when running errands or commuting. This is not just about safety, it is just another tool to make life harder for immigrants.
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The new law says, If you’re 18 or older and required to register under INA 262, you must have evidence of your registration on you at all times. Forgetting to carry it could land you with a fine of up to $5,000 or a 30-day jail sentence.
If your spouse is in the country as well, they should also comply and carry I-797 or their passport. Some people claim the ruling is not so clear as these laws fall under the “Alien Registration Rule” which is meant for undocumented immigrants.
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However, immigrants share that their attorney has advised them to carry their “registration card” or “evidence of registration” at all times to avoid any trouble.
Earlier when your driver’s license used to be enough, now the authorities are forcing Indians in the US to be walking documentation stations. This immigration crackdown has become more about how the government can make people’s lives more miserable than about the country’s security.
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