Matter of Khan

Interim Decision #Z146

临时决定 #Z146

This is an appeal from a decision of a special inquiry officer dated October 29, 1971, finding the respondent deportable on the charges in the order to show cause. He was granted voluntary departure. The appeal will be dismissed. The respondent, his father and a brother, all natives and citizens of Pakistan, obtained immigrant visas from the American Consulate General at Lahore, Pakistan un January 29, 1971.

这是对特别调查官1971年10月29日决定的上诉，该决定认定被申请人因说明理由令中的指控而应被驱逐。他获准自愿离境。上诉将被驳回。 被申请人、其父亲和一名兄弟均为巴基斯坦国民和公民，于1971年1月29日在巴基斯坦拉合尔的美国总领事馆获得移民签证。

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Interim Decision #2143

临时决定 #2143

Respondent's father obtained an immigrant visa.(P5-1) under the provisions of section 203(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as the brother of a United States citizen. Respondent and his brother obtained immigrant visas (P5-3's) under the provisions of section 203(a)(9) of the Act as alien children accompanying or following to join a parent who had been issued a fifth preference immigrant visa. Respondent's father and his brother were issued visas valid for four months but respondent was issued a visa valid for only one month because he was eligible to enter the United States only if he arrived on or before March 8, 1971, his twenty- first birthday. He left Pakistan on February 26, 1971 and was admitted to the United States as a permanent resident at New York, New York on March 1, 1971. He was then in possession of the P5-3 immigrant visa. His father had died in Pakistan on February 9, 1971 and respondent did not know of the death until after his admission to the United States. Counsel for respondent contends that because the father's visa petition had not been revoked, the immigrant visa which respond- ent presented was valid for admission to the United States. Counsel also contended that the word "accompanying" in section 203(a)(9) of the Act should be given an elastic definition to cover a relative preceding the principal alien to the United States. Paragraph (9) of section 203(a) provides that "A spouse or child as defined in section 101(b)(1)(A), (B), (C). (D), or (E) shall. if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa or to conditional entry under paragraphs (1) through (8), be entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration provided in subsection (b), if accompanying, or fol- lowing to join, his spouse or parent." (Emphasis added.) The State Department regulation, 22 CFR 42.1, defines "accompanying" or "accompanied by" as meaning an alien in the physical company of a principal alien, and concludes with this significant statement: "An accompanying relative may not precede the principal alien to the United States." A definition of "accompany" is not included in the Act, but we observe that among the meanings attributed to the word in Webster's New International Dictionary, 2d. edition are "to go along with," and "to go with or attend as a companion or associ- ate." There is an explanation that the word implies the idea of going with someone or companionship. We conclude that the statutory language of section 203(a)(9) is not susceptible of the elastic construction urged by counsel. Respondent was not accom- panying or following to join his father at the time he arrived in the United States and his immigrant visa was not valid for admission. His lack of knowledge of his father's death is not relevant.

被申请人的父亲根据《移民与国籍法》第203(a)(5)条的规定，作为美国公民的兄弟获得了移民签证（P5-1）。被申请人及其兄弟根据该法第203(a)(9)条的规定，作为陪同或随后加入已获第五优先移民签证的父母的子女外侨，获得了移民签证（P5-3）。被申请人的父亲及其兄弟获得的签证有效期为四个月，但被申请人获得的签证有效期仅为一个月，因为他只有在1971年3月8日（其21岁生日）或之前抵达时才有资格进入美国。他于1971年2月26日离开巴基斯坦，并于1971年3月1日在纽约州纽约市作为永久居民获准入境。他当时持有P5-3移民签证。其父亲已于1971年2月9日在巴基斯坦死亡，被申请人在获准入境美国之前并不知悉该死亡。 被申请人的律师主张，由于父亲的签证申请未被撤销，被申请人所出示的移民签证对于入境美国是有效的。律师还主张，该法第203(a)(9)条中的“陪同”一词应作弹性解释，以涵盖先于主外侨抵达美国的亲属。 第203(a)条第(9)款规定：“第101(b)(1)(A)、(B)、(C)、(D)或(E)条所定义的配偶或子女，如无其他资格获得移民身份并立即获得签证或根据第(1)至(8)款获得有条件入境，则在陪同或随后加入其配偶或父母时，应有权获得相同的身份，并享有第(b)款规定的相同考虑顺序。”（强调为后加。）国务院条例22 CFR 42.1将“陪同”或“由……陪同”定义为外侨与主外侨实际同行，并以下述重要陈述作结：“陪同亲属不得先于主外侨抵达美国。” 该法未包含“陪同”的定义，但我们注意到，《韦氏新国际词典》第2版中该词的含义包括“与……同行”和“作为同伴或伙伴与……同行或随同”。有解释称，该词含有与某人同行或陪伴的含义。我们得出结论，第203(a)(9)条的法定语言不能接受律师所主张的弹性解释。被申请人在抵达美国时并非陪同或随后加入其父亲，其移民签证对于入境无效。他不知悉父亲死亡一事并不相关。

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Interim Decision #2143

临时决定 #2143

Another issue that arises is the effect of the father's death on respondent's immigrant status. The issuance of an immigrant visa to a spouse or child under section 203(aX9) is dependent upon the existence of the immigrant status of the principal alien. Thus, the validity of respondent's immigrant visa depended on the continued immigrant status of his father, the principal alien. Death termi- nated the father's immigrant status and thereby stripped respond- ent of his status. There is no dispute as to the basic facts in this matter. It is our conclusion that respondent did not have the status specified in hii immigrant visa and was not in possession of a valid immigrant visa at the time of his entry. The special inquiry officer correctly found him deportable on both charges by evidence which is clear, convincing and unequivocal. Accordingly, the following order will be entered. ORDER: It is ordered that the appeal be and the same is hereby dismissed. It is further ordered that, pursuant to the special inquiry officer's order, the respondent be permitted to depart from the United States voluntarily within 30 days from the date of this order or any extension beyond that time as may be granted by the District Director; and that, in the event of failure so to depart, the respondent shall be deported as provided in the special inquiry officer's order.

另一个出现的问题是父亲死亡对被申请人移民身份的影响。根据第203(aX9)条向配偶或子女签发移民签证取决于主外侨移民身份的存在。因此，被申请人移民签证的有效性取决于其父亲（主外侨）持续拥有的移民身份。死亡终止了父亲的移民身份，从而剥夺了被申请人的身份。 本事项的基本事实没有争议。我们的结论是，被申请人不具有其移民签证所指定的身份，且在其入境时未持有有效移民签证。特别调查官根据明确、令人信服且毫不含糊的证据正确地认定他因两项指控而应被驱逐。因此，将作出以下命令。 命令：兹命令上诉予以驳回，且特此驳回。 并进一步命令，根据特别调查官的命令，准许被申请人在本命令作出之日起30天内或地区局长可能批准的延长期限内自愿离开美国；如未能如此离境，则被申请人应按照特别调查官的命令被驱逐。

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