Immigration newsletter 07 Dec 2005

The US is planning to change its citizenship test to make it less subjective. Currently, permanent residents wanting to be Americans are tested on their ability to read, write and speak English, as well as their knowledge of U.S. history and government. They are asked questions from an approved list, but each testing officer can decide which questions to ask. As a result, the test varies depending on who is asking the questions and where the test is given. Instead, the US plans to spend $6.5 million to revise the test and have the new questions in use by January 2008.

Gay couples across the UK are set to form civil partnerships in the next months as the law is changed to allow same-sex marriages. Changes to UK law will allow gay couples to register for legal status as a same-sex partnership from Dec. 5, with the first ceremonies to be conducted in about a fortnight's time. One couple was already married after being granted special permission to marry early as one partner was in the final stages of cancer. He died the following day.

US federal immigration officials are recalling 60,000 permanent residency cards because of errors, creating worry among immigrants who need the documents to work, get a driver's license and apply for credit. The problems stem from a computer error that resulted in "green cards" with incorrect "since dates.?€? The date represents the day residency was granted and is used to determine the waiting period to apply for U.S. citizenship. Permanent residents also use the cards to travel to and from the United States. The erroneous cards were sent to refugees, asylum seekers and Cuban and Vietnamese immigrants.