The Attorney General may, in his or her discretion, permit any alien applicant for admission to withdraw his or her application for admission in lieu of removal proceedings under section 240 of the Act or expedited removal under section 235(b)(1) of the Act. The alien's decision to withdraw his or her application for admission must be made voluntarily, but nothing in this section shall be construed as to give an alien the right to withdraw his or her application for admission. Permission to withdraw an application for admission should not normally be granted unless the alien intends and is able to depart the United States immediately. An alien permitted to withdraw his or her application for admission shall normally remain in carrier or Service custody pending departure, unless the district director determines that parole of the alien is warranted in accordance with § 1212.5(b) of this chapter.

[62 FR 10358, Mar. 6, 1997; 62 FR 15363, Apr. 1, 1997; 65 FR 82256, Dec. 28, 2000]

Link to an amendment published at 85 FR 84198, Dec. 23, 2020. This amendment was delayed until Mar. 22, 2021, at 86 FR 6847, Jan. 25, 2021. This amendment was further delayed until Dec. 31, 2021, at 86 FR 15069, Mar. 22, 2021. This amendment was further delayed until Dec. 31, 2022, at 86 FR 73615, Dec. 28, 2021. This amendment was further delayed until Dec. 31, 2024, at 87 FR 79789, Dec. 28, 2022.

(a) Notice—(1) Referral by Form I-862, Notice to Appear. An immigration officer or asylum officer will sign and deliver a Form I-862 to an alien in the following cases:

(i) If, in accordance with the provisions of section 235(b)(2)(A) of the Act, the examining immigration officer detains an alien for a proceeding before an immigration judge under section 240 of the Act; or

(ii) If an immigration officer verifies that an alien subject to expedited removal under section 235(b)(1) of the Act has been admitted as a lawful permanent resident or refugee, or granted asylum, or, upon review pursuant to § 235.3(b)(5)(iv) of chapter I, an immigration judge determines that the alien was once so admitted or granted asylum, provided that such status has not been terminated by final administrative action, and DHS initiates removal proceedings against the alien under section 240 of the Act.

(2) Referral by Form I-863, Notice of Referral to Immigration Judge. An immigration officer will sign and deliver a Form I-863 to an alien in the following cases:

(i) If an asylum officer determines that an alien does not have a credible fear of persecution or torture, and the alien requests a review of that determination by an immigration judge;

(ii) If, in accordance with section 235(b)(1)(C) of the Act, an immigration officer refers an expedited removal order entered on an alien claiming to be a lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or U.S. citizen for whom the officer could not verify such status to an immigration judge for review of the order; or

(iii) If an immigration officer refers an applicant in accordance with the provisions of 8 CFR 208.2(b) to an immigration judge.

(b) Certification for mental condition; medical appeal. An alien certified under sections 212(a)(1) and 232(b) of the Act shall be advised by the examining immigration officer that he or she may appeal to a board of medical examiners of the United States Public Health Service pursuant to section 232 of the Act. If such appeal is taken, the district director shall arrange for the convening of the medical board.

(c) The provisions of part 1235 are separate and severable from one another. In the event that any provision in part 1235 is stayed, enjoined, not implemented, or otherwise held invalid, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be implemented as an independent rule and continue in effect.

[62 FR 10358, Mar. 6, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 8494, Feb. 19, 1999; 74 FR 55744, Oct. 28, 2009; 85 FR 23904, Apr. 30, 2020; 85 FR 80400, Dec. 11, 2020; 86 FR 1737, Jan. 11, 2021; 87 FR 18223, Mar. 29, 2022]

(a) Report. When an immigration officer or an immigration judge suspects that an arriving alien appears to be inadmissible under section 212(a)(3)(A) (other than clause (ii)), (B), or (C) of the Act, the immigration officer or immigration judge shall order the alien removed and report the action promptly to the district director who has administrative jurisdiction over the place where the alien has arrived or where the hearing is being held. The immigration officer shall, if possible, take a brief sworn question-and-answer statement from the alien, and the alien shall be notified by personal service of Form I-147, Notice of Temporary Inadmissibility, of the action taken and the right to submit a written statement and additional information for consideration by the Attorney General. The district director shall forward the report to the regional director for further action as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Action by regional director. (1) In accordance with section 235(c)(2)(B) of the Act, the regional director may deny any further inquiry or hearing by an immigration judge and order the alien removed by personal service of Form I-148, Notice of Permanent Inadmissibility, or issue any other order disposing of the case that the regional director considers appropriate.

(2) If the regional director concludes that the case does not meet the criteria contained in section 235(c)(2)(B) of the Act, the regional director may direct that:

(i) An immigration officer shall conduct a further examination of the alien, concerning the alien's admissibility; or,

(ii) The alien's case be referred to an immigration judge for a hearing, or for the continuation of any prior hearing.

(3) The regional director's decision shall be in writing and shall be signed by the regional director. Unless the written decision contains confidential information, the disclosure of which would be prejudicial to the public interest, safety, or security of the United States, the written decision shall be served on the alien. If the written decision contains such confidential information, the alien shall be served with a separate written order showing the disposition of the case, but with the confidential information deleted.

(4) The Service shall not execute a removal order under this section under circumstances that violate section 241(b)(3) of the Act or Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture. The provisions of part 1208 of this chapter relating to consideration or review by an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or an asylum officer shall not apply.

(c) Finality of decision. The regional director's decision under this section is final when it is served upon the alien in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section. There is no administrative appeal from the regional director's decision.

(d) Hearing by immigration judge. If the regional director directs that an alien subject to removal under this section be given a hearing or further hearing before an immigration judge, the hearing and all further proceedings in the matter shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of section 240 of the Act and other applicable sections of the Act to the same extent as though the alien had been referred to an immigration judge by the examining immigration officer. In a case where the immigration judge ordered the alien removed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, the Service shall refer the case back to the immigration judge and proceedings shall be automatically reopened upon receipt of the notice of referral. If confidential information, not previously considered in the matter, is presented supporting the inadmissibility of the alien under section 212(a)(3)(A) (other than clause (ii)), (B) or (C) of the Act, the disclosure of which, in the discretion of the immigration judge, may be prejudicial to the public interest, safety, or security, the immigration judge may again order the alien removed under the authority of section 235(c) of the Act and further action shall be taken as provided in this section.

(e) Nonapplicability. The provisions of this section shall apply only to arriving aliens, as defined in § 1001.1(q) of this chapter. Aliens present in the United States who have not been admitted or paroled may be subject to proceedings under Title V of the Act.

[62 FR 10358, Mar. 6, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 8494, Feb. 19, 1999]

During the two-year period that ended July 1, 1990, the Service issued Northern Marianas Identification Cards to aliens who acquired United States citizenship when the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States entered into force on November 3, 1986. These cards remain valid as evidence of United States citizenship. Although the Service no longer issues these cards, a United States citizen to whom a card was issued may file Form I-777, Application for Issuance or Replacement of Northern Marianas Card, to obtain replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated Northern Marianas Identification Card.

[62 FR 10359, Mar. 6, 1997]

(a) General. Form I-197, U.S. Citizen Identification Card, is no longer issued by the Service but valid existing cards will continue to be acceptable documentation of U.S. citizenship. Possession of the identification card is not mandatory for any purpose. A U.S. Citizen Identification Card remains the property of the United States. Because the identification card is no longer issued, there are no provisions for replacement cards.

(b) Surrender and voidance—(1) Institution of proceeding under section 240 or 342 of the Act. A U.S. Citizen Identification Card must be surrendered provisionally to a Service office upon notification by the district director that a proceeding under section 240 or 342 of the Act is being instituted against the person to whom the card was issued. The card shall be returned to the person if the final order in the proceeding does not result in voiding the card under this paragraph. A U.S. Citizen Identification Card is automatically void if the person to whom it was issued is determined to be an alien in a proceeding conducted under section 240 of the Act, or if a certificate, document, or record relating to that person is canceled under section 342 of the Act.

(2) Investigation of validity of identification card. A U.S. Citizen Identification Card must be surrendered provisionally upon notification by a district director that the validity of the card is being investigated. The card shall be returned to the person who surrendered it if the investigation does not result in a determination adverse to his or her claim to be a United States citizen. When an investigation results in a tentative determination adverse to the applicant's claim to be a United States citizen, the applicant shall be notified by certified mail directed to his or her last known address. The notification shall inform the applicant of the basis for the determination and of the intention of the district director to declare the card void unless within 30 days the applicant objects and demands an opportunity to see and rebut the adverse evidence. Any rebuttal, explanation, or evidence presented by the applicant must be included in the record of proceeding. The determination whether the applicant is a United States citizen must be based on the entire record and the applicant shall be notified of the determination. If it is determined that the applicant is not a United States citizen, the applicant shall be notified of the reasons, and the card deemed void. There is no appeal from the district director's decision.

(3) Admission of alienage. A U.S. Citizen Identification Card is void if the person to whom it was issued admits in a statement signed before an immigration officer that he or she is an alien and consents to the voidance of the card. Upon signing the statement the card must be surrendered to the immigration officer.

(4) Surrender of void card. A void U.S. Citizen Identification Card which has not been returned to the Service must be surrendered without delay to an immigration officer or to the issuing office of the Service.

(c) U.S. Citizen Identification Card previously issued on Form I-179. A valid Form I-179, U.S. Citizen Identification Card, continues to be valid subject to the provisions of this section.

[62 FR 10359, Mar. 6, 1997]

(a) General—(1) Conditional residence based on family relationship. An alien seeking admission to the United States with an immigrant visa as the spouse or son or daughter of a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident shall be examined to determine whether the conditions of section 216 of the Act apply. If so, the alien shall be admitted conditionally for a period of 2 years. At the time of admission, the alien shall be notified that the alien and his or her petitioning spouse must file a Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence, within the 90-day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of the alien's admission for permanent residence.

(2) Conditional residence based on entrepreneurship. An alien seeking admission to the United States with an immigrant visa as an alien entrepreneur (as defined in section 216A(f)(1) of the Act) or the spouse or unmarried minor child of an alien entrepreneur shall be admitted conditionally for a period of 2 years. At the time of admission, the alien shall be notified that the principal alien (entrepreneur) must file a Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions, within the 90-day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of the alien's admission for permanent residence.

(b) Correction of endorsement on immigrant visa. If the alien is subject to the provisions of section 216 of the Act, but the classification endorsed on the immigrant visa does not so indicate, the endorsement shall be corrected and the alien shall be admitted as a lawful permanent resident on a conditional basis, if otherwise admissible. Conversely, if the alien is not subject to the provisions of section 216 of the Act, but the visa classification endorsed on the immigrant visa indicates that the alien is subject thereto (e.g., if the second anniversary of the marriage upon which the immigrant visa is based occurred after the issuance of the visa and prior to the alien's application for admission) the endorsement on the visa shall be corrected and the alien shall be admitted as a lawful permanent resident without conditions, if otherwise admissible.

(c) Expired conditional permanent resident status. The lawful permanent resident alien status of a conditional resident automatically terminates if the conditional basis of such status is not removed by the Service through approval of a Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence or, in the case of an alien entrepreneur (as defined in section 216A(f)(1) of the Act), Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions. Therefore, an alien who is seeking admission as a returning resident subsequent to the second anniversary of the date on which conditional residence was obtained (except as provided in § 1211.1(b)(1) of this chapter) and whose conditional basis of such residence has not been removed pursuant to section 216(c) or 216A(c) of the Act, whichever is applicable, shall be placed under removal proceedings. However, in a case where conditional residence was based on a marriage, removal proceedings may be terminated and the alien may be admitted as a returning resident if the required Form I-751 is filed jointly, or by the alien alone (if appropriate), and approved by the Service. In the case of an alien entrepreneur, removal proceedings may be terminated and the alien admitted as a returning resident if the required Form I-829 is filed by the alien entrepreneur and approved by the Service.

[62 FR 10360, Mar. 6, 1997]