Immigrants filing paperwork with the Executive Office for Immigration Review must now use a special 9-digit number to access all paperwork. The new rule went into effect on July 21. Here are the details from the Department of Justice:
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced today that, effective July 21, 2008, documents filed with EOIR’s immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) should indicate 9-digit alien registration numbers (A numbers). For cases with a 9-digit A number, all digits must be provided. For cases with an 8-digit A number, a zero (0) must be inserted before the 8 digits. For example, A##-###-### should be provided as A0##-###-###. No document filings will be rejected in the foreseeable future for mistakenly failing to do so.
Also, 9-digit A numbers will be required to access immigration case status information through EOIR’s automated telephone system, which can be reached by dialing (703) 305-1662 or 1-800-898-7180 (toll-free). The system will direct callers to enter a zero (0) before the 8 digits of an 8-digit A number.
EOIR is implementing this requirement to be consistent with the Department of Homeland Security, which is currently issuing 9-digit A numbers.
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