Staying Legal : A Guide to Phase 2 of the Immigration Amnesty Law

Temporary residence is just that . . . temporary. It has an expiration date. This date appears on the brown immigration card in the box marked “Expiration Date.” Start the application process for permanent residence before that date. If you allow the expiration date to lapse, you could lose all rights to legalization and revert to an illegalstatus. Apply for permanent residence before your temporary residence card expires.

This is your INS file number. Use it in all your dealings with the government.

Date on which temporary residence was granted. Eighteen months after this date, you have twelve months to take the necessary steps to obtain your permanent residence.

Date on which temporary residence expires. Process your permanent residence before this date expires.