The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is publishing a notice in the Federal Register on April 28, 2011 removing the following countries from, and relieving nonimmigrant nationals or citizens of the following countries from compliance with, the special registration procedures under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS): Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The notice states that DHS is eliminating these country designations under the NSEERS program due to the development of other automated systems that capture arrival and exit information on nonimmigrant travelers (e.g. US VISIT biometric registration and APIS flight manifest information), such that the manual data capture process involved in NSEERS entry and exit registration is redundant.

Effective upon publication of the notice, there is no longer a requirement for foreign nationals in nonimmigrant status who were subject to NSEERS registration on the basis of national origin to register upon admission and upon departure from the U.S. In addition, foreign nationals who were subject to NSEERS registration on the basis of national origin are no longer required to update the USCIS of a change of address, employment, or school within 10 days of change using Form AR-11SR. Instead, they, as is the case with all foreign nationals in nonimmigrant status, are required to update USCIS regarding any change of address within 10 days of change using Form AR-11. This form maybe submitted electronically: http://www.jackson-hertogs.com/process/coa.shtml.

Notably, the notice eliminates the country designations, but the structure of NSEERS remains intact, such that DHS can again designate individuals or groups as being subject to NSEERS registration and reporting requirements.

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