§103.1. Reserved — Inbound Citations

(M) Director means a Service Center director with delegated authority at 8 CFR 103.1.

(ii) Certain unfavorable decisions on applications, petitions, and other types of cases may be appealed. Decisions under the appellate jurisdiction of the Board of Immigration Appeals (Board) are listed in § 3.1(b) of this chapter. Decisions under the appellate jurisdiction of the Associate Commissioner, Examinations, are listed in § 103.1(f)(2) of this part.

(b) The Regional Processing Facility director or the district director may, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, certify a decision to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations (Administrative Appeals Unit) (the appellate authority designated in § 103.1(f)(2)) of this part, when the case involves an unusually complex or novel question of law or fact.

(3) If the basis for the withdrawal of Temporary Protected Status constitutes a ground of deportability or excludability which renders an alien ineligible for Temporary Protected Status under § 244.4 or inadmissible under § 244.3(c), the decision shall include a charging document which sets forth such ground(s) with notice of the right of a de novo determination of eligibility for Temporary Protected Status in deportation or exclusion proceedings. If the basis for withdrawal does not constitute such a ground, the alien shall be given written notice of his or her right to appeal to the AAU. Upon receipt of an appeal, the administrative record will be forwarded to the AAU for review and decision pursuant to the authority delegated under § 103.1(f)(2). Temporary Protected Status benefits will be extended during the pendency of an appeal.

(j) An adverse decision under this part may be appealed to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations (Administrative Appeals Unit) the appellate authority designated in § 103.1(f)(2). Any appeal shall be submitted to the Regional Processing Facility with the required fee within thirty (30) days after service of the Notice of Denial in accordance with the procedures of § 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the thirty (30) day period has tolled will not be accepted. The thirty (30) day period for submitting an appeal begins three days after the notice of denial is mailed. If a review of the Record of Proceeding (ROP) is requested by the alien or his or her legal representative and an appeal has been properly filed, an additional thirty (30) days will be allowed for this review from the time the Record of Proceeding is photocopied and mailed. A brief may be submitted with the appeal form or submitted up to thirty (30) calendar days from the date of receipt of the appeal form at the Regional Processing Facility. Briefs filed after submission of the appeal should be mailed directly to the Regional Processing Facility. For good cause shown, the time within which a brief supporting an appeal may be submitted may be extended by the Director of the Regional Processing Facility.

(16) An adverse decision under this part may be appealed to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations (Administrative Appeals Unit), the appellate authority designated in § 103.1(f)(2). Any appeal shall be submitted to the Regional Processing Facility (RPF) with the required fee within 30 days after service of the Notice of Denial in accordance with the procedures of § 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the 30-day period will not be accepted. The 30-day period for submission of an appeal begins three days after the Notice of Denial is mailed as provided in 8 CFR 103.8(b). If a review of the Record of Proceeding (ROP) is requested by the alien or his or her legal representative and an appeal has been properly filed, an additional 30 days will be allowed for this review beginning at the time the ROP is mailed. A brief may be submitted with the appeal form or submitted up to 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the appeal form at the RPF. Briefs filed after submission of the appeal should be mailed directly to the RPF. For good cause shown, the time within which a brief supporting an appeal may be submitted may be extended by the Director of the Regional Processing Facility.

(b) The Regional Processing Facility director or the district director may, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, certify a decision to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations (Administrative Appeals Unit) (the appellate authority designated in § 103.1(f)(2)) of this part, when the case involves an unusually complex or novel question of law or fact.

(c) The decision of the director to deny Temporary Protected Status, a waiver of grounds of inadmissibility, or temporary treatment benefits shall be in writing served in person or by mail to the alien's most recent address provided to the Service and shall state the reason(s) for the denial. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the alien shall be given written notice of his or her right to appeal a decision denying Temporary Protected Status. To exercise such right, the alien shall file a notice of appeal, Form I-290B, with the director who issued the denial. If an appeal is filed, the administrative record shall be forwarded to the AAU for review and decision, pursuant to authority delegated in § 103.1(f)(2), except as otherwise provided in this section.

(1) If the basis for the denial of the Temporary Protected Status constitutes a ground for deportability or excludability which renders the alien ineligible for Temporary Protected Status under § 1244.4 or inadmissible under § 1244.3(c), the decision shall include a charging document which sets forth such ground(s).

(2) If such a charging document is issued, the alien shall not have the right to appeal the director's decision denying Temporary Protected Status as provided in this subsection. The decision shall also apprise the alien of his or her right to a de novo determination of his or her eligibility for Temporary Protected Status in deportation or exclusion proceedings pursuant to §§ 1240.11 and 1244.18.

(3) If the basis for the withdrawal of Temporary Protected Status constitutes a ground of deportability or excludability which renders an alien ineligible for Temporary Protected Status under § 1244.4 or inadmissible under § 1244.3(c), the decision shall include a charging document which sets forth such ground(s) with notice of the right of a de novo determination of eligibility for Temporary Protected Status in deportation or exclusion proceedings. If the basis for withdrawal does not constitute such a ground, the alien shall be given written notice of his or her right to appeal to the AAU. Upon receipt of an appeal, the administrative record will be forwarded to the AAU for review and decision pursuant to the authority delegated under § 103.1(f)(2). Temporary Protected Status benefits will be extended during the pendency of an appeal.

(b) An adverse decision under this part may be appealed to the Associate Commissioner, Examinations, Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), who is the appellate authority designated in § 103.1(f)(3) of this chapter. Any appeal shall be submitted to the Service office that rendered the decision with the required fee.

(1) If an appeal is filed from within the United States, it must be received by the Service within 30 calendar days after service of the Notice of Denial (NOD) in accordance with the procedures of § 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the 30 day period has tolled will not be accepted. The 30 day period for submitting an appeal begins 3 days after the NOD is mailed. If a review of the Record of Proceeding (ROP) is requested by the alien or his or her legal representative, and an appeal has been properly filed, an additional 30 days will be allowed for this review from the time the ROP is photocopied and mailed.

(2) If an applicant's last known address of record was outside the United States, and the NOD was mailed to that foreign address, the appeal must be received by the Service within 60 calendar days after service of the NOD in accordance with the procedures of § 103.3(a) of this chapter. An appeal received after the 60 day period has tolled will not be accepted. The 60-day period for submitting an appeal begins 3 days after the NOD is mailed.

The Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization and immigration officers (as defined in 8 CFR 103.1(i)) are hereby designated as “competent national authorities” on the part of the United States within the meaning of Article XXIV of the Treaty of Friendship and General Relations Between the United States and Spain (33 Stat. 2105, 2117), and shall fulfill the obligations assumed by the United States pursuant to that Article in the manner and form prescribed.

The Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization and immigration officers (as defined in 8 CFR 103.1(i)) are hereby designated as “local authorities” and “competent officers” on the part of the United States within the meaning of Article XIII of the Convention Between the United States and Greece (33 Stat. 2122, 2131), and shall fulfill the obligations assumed by the United States pursuant to that Article in the manner and form prescribed.

(2) If the sponsor chooses to do so, the sponsor may add to the number of persons specified in the first part of this definition the number of relatives (as defined in this section) of the sponsor who have the same principal residence as the sponsor and whose income will be relied on to meet the requirements of section 213A of the Act and this part.

Immigration Officer, solely for purposes of this part, includes a Consular Officer, as defined by section 101(a)(9) of the Act, as well as an Immigration Officer, as defined by § 103.1(j) of this chapter.

Income means an individual's total income (adjusted gross income for those who file IRS Form 1040EZ) for purposes of the individual's U.S. Federal income tax liability, including a joint income tax return (e.g., line 22 on the 2004 IRS Form 1040, line 15 on the 2004 IRS Form 1040A, or line 4 on the 2004 IRS Form 1040EZ or the corresponding line on any future revision of these IRS Forms). Only an individual's Federal income tax return—that is, neither a state or territorial income tax return nor an income tax return filed with a foreign government—shall be filed with an affidavit of support, unless the individual had no duty to file a Federal income tax return, and claims that his or her state, territorial or foreign taxable income is sufficient to establish the sufficiency of the affidavit of support.

Intending immigrant means any beneficiary of an immigrant visa petition filed under section 204 of the Act, including any alien who will accompany or follow-to-join the principal beneficiary.

Joint sponsor means any individual who meets the requirements of section 213A(f)(1)(A), (B), (C), and (E) of the Act and 8 CFR 213a.2(c)(1)(i), and who, as permitted by section 213A(f)(5)(A) of the Act, is willing to submit an affidavit of support and accept joint and several liability with the sponsor or substitute sponsor, in any case in which the sponsor's or substitute sponsor's household income is not sufficient to satisfy the requirements of section 213A of the Act.

Means-tested public benefit means either a Federal means-tested public benefit, which is any public benefit funded in whole or in part by funds provided by the Federal Government that the Federal agency administering the Federal funds has determined to be a Federal means-tested public benefit under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Public Law 104-193, or a State means-tested public benefit, which is any public benefit for which no Federal funds are provided that a State, State agency, or political subdivision of a State has determined to be a means-tested public benefit. No benefit shall be considered to be a means-tested public benefit if it is a benefit described in sections 401(b), 411(b), 422(b) or 423(d) of Public Law 104-193.

Program official means the officer or employee of any Federal, State, or local government agency or of any private agency that administers any means-tested public benefit program who has authority to act on the agency's behalf in seeking reimbursement of means-tested public benefits.

Relative means a husband, wife, father, mother, child, adult son, adult daughter, brother, or sister.

Significant ownership interest means an ownership interest of 5 percent or more in a for-profit entity that filed an immigrant visa petition to accord a prospective employee an immigrant status under section 203(b) of the Act.

Sponsor means an individual who is either required to execute or has executed an affidavit of support under this part.

Sponsored immigrant means any alien who was an intending immigrant, once that person has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, so that the affidavit of support filed for that person under this part has entered into force.

Substitute sponsor means an individual who meets the requirements of section 213A(f)(1)(A), (B), (C), and (E) of the Act and 8 CFR 213a.2(c)(1)(i), who is related to the principal intending immigrant in one of the ways described in section 213A(f)(5)(B) of the Act, and who is willing to sign the affidavit of support in place of the now-deceased person who filed ta relative or fiancé(e) petition that provides the basis for the intending immigrant's ability to seek permanent residence.

(a) Under E.O. 11267 of January 19, 1966 (31 FR 807) and 28 CFR 0.109, and E.O. 11300 of August 17, 1966, (31 FR 11009), and 28 CFR 0.110, the Commissioner and immigration officers (as defined in § 103.1(j) of this chapter) are designated as “competent national authorities” on the part of the United States within the meaning of Article XXIV of the 1903 Treaty of Friendship and General Relations between the United States and Spain (33 Stat. 2105, 2117), and “local authorities” and “competent officers” on the part of the United States within the meaning of Article XIII of the Convention between the United States and Greece (33 Stat. 2122, 2131).