USCIS Fee for Certificate of Citizenship Will Increase on December 23, 2016

Fee Changes from USCIS Hague and Non-Hague Petitions and Certificate of Citizenship

On Monday October 24, USCIS published its final rule outlining changes in their fee schedule for services, including those for several adoption-related services.  You will note small fee increases for I-600/600As, I-800/800As, and a near-doubling of the fee to obtain a certificate of citizenship (N-600), which increases to $1,170.  The fee increases go to into effect on December 23, 2016. If you are filing any adoption related petition, be sure to reference the new fee schedule.  All this is very disappointing given the broadly expressed opposition to increasing the N-600 and that Congress even made their objections known.
 
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Amal Clooney takes on Armenia genocide case in European court

After weighing into the Elgin Marbles controversy and the imprisonment of journalists in Egypt, Amal Clooney is to step into another high-profile case – the Armenian genocide.

A century on from the 1915 genocide, in which up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks, the newly wed wife of George Clooney will be part of a legal team representing Armenia in a case involving denial of the genocide by a Turkish politician.

Dogu Perincek was found guilty by a Swiss court in 2008 of denying, during a visit to Switzerland, that the genocide ever took place.

Mr Perincek, from the Left-wing Turkish Workers’ Party, called the genocide "an international lie" and was fined by the court in Switzerland.

He appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which ruled in Dec 2013 that Switzerland had violated his right to free expression.

That appeal is now being challenged by Armenia, with the case to be heard by the Strasbourg court’s 17-member Grand Chamber. The first hearing has been scheduled for Jan 28.

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NOTICE: Bulgaria's Ministry of Justice Announces New Guideline Enforcement for USCIS Approval After Expiration

Today the Ministry of Justice informed US adoption service providers of their decision regarding the registered prospective adoptive parents, whose USCIS approval for adoption has expired. Please note that pursuant to Art.29, par.7 of Ordinance No.13/2009, our foundation partners are required to present a new USCIS approval within 30 days following the expiration of the previous one. Otherwise the Ordinance provides for automatic removal from the register.

Until this decision, the Ministry of Justice demonstrated understanding and waited for prospective adoptive families to obtain a new approval and extended time for the prospective adoptive families to obtain a new USCIS approval, after the original approval had expired.  The legal stipulation of 30-day's is now in effect. 

The Ministry of Justice will no longer accept statements from the prospective adoptive families or from the accredited agency representing them. According to the decision the Ministry of Justice will permit up to 60 additional days, ONLY if the prospective adoptive families present documentation issued by USCIS confirming that the prospective adoptive families have initiated the process of obtaining a new USCIS approval. Otherwise the prospective adoptive families will not be provided with an additional deadline and will be removed from the register after the expiration of the 30-day deadline stated in the Ordinance.