European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Planning pays off when applying for visa Reby Gary Pomeroy staff writer spec. Douglas Palen and his wife Sonja did not Start the paperwork for her immigrant visa immediately after their wedding on Jan. 24, 1991. He deployed to the persian Gulf after the ceremony. And although he has spent nine months on two separate deployments to the Region since his marriage to his German wife the couple admittedly procrastinated during the times he has been in Germany. Besides a i thought i was leaving in december 1992 a a said Palen a combat Signaller with a Btry 1st in 7th air defense arty in Kaiserslautern Germany. That was until a month ago when the 22-year-old received orders to report to fort Stewart ga., in Early september. Since that time getting Sonja a visa has had the couple s undivided attention. And hey Cut it pretty close she received the visa on june 11 a 10 Days before their scheduled departure from Germany. Why people put off the task baffles Lucy Uncini the visa Branch chief at the . Consulate in Frankfurt the Only office in Germany that issues immigrant visas. During uncut s three year tenure in the Section roughly 15,000 immigrant visas have been issued to family members of service members stationed in Germany. Last minute applicants have never ceased to amaze her Quot we try to be flexible Quot Uncini said Quot but when the person comes in at the last minute and cannot submit documents we really need then they have to  that occasionally maans that the service member must return to the states alone a a dilemma that can be easily avoided. To begin the process the sponsor must be Able to prove he or she is an american or a Legal permanent resident of the United states Uncini said. That requires either an official birth certificate or a valid . Passport any american whose foreign born spouse needs a visa can Start the process after the wedding by filling out a form i-130. The majority of the work can be done by mail Uncini said adding that Only the person needing the visa must go to the consulate he required visit entails a physical examination a which includes a blood test a and an interview with the immigrant visa people. A key requirement of the immigrant visa Section is a police record chock from every country where the foreigner has lived for six months. Other  that the primary documents needed from the foreign born person Are spec. Doug Tae Palen left and wife Sonja got her visa just in Lima. Official birth certificates and divorce decrees. In Sonja palens Case the birth certificate took five minutes and the police record was less than two weeks. Some countries such As the Philippines and South Korea can take up to four months to respond. The information contained on police reports sometimes becomes a Nightmare for Uncini whose office has informed about 15 applicants that no visa would be forthcoming. Those applicants have had drug convictions or fraudulent marriages adoptions or naturalization. Quot while convictions for certain types of criminal activities can make an applicant ineligible for a visa under the provisions of the immigration and nationality act  Are waivers available for spouses and children of . Citizens for most types of crime a Uncini said. A drug offenders with the exception of those convicted of simple Possession of under 30 Grams of marijuana cannot Benefit from a  also service members often have no been counselled that if they get married without command approval spouses might not be Able to obtain a visa. The Bottom line is do not Trust any information from co workers uncut said. Quot we have the answers Quot she said. And Douglas Palen has a Bottom line on starting the paperwork for the immigrant visa Quot do it As soon As possible. Quot any questions about immigrant visas for family members can be answered by calling 069-7535-2204 or 2206 from 9 a  11 30 . Or 1-3 30 . Monday through Friday words to the Wise the following lips were provided by the . Consulate immigrant visa Section for those who need to file for immigrant visas. A petitions can be filed by mail. A petitions will be rejected if necessary supporting documents Are missing or if the petition is not signed by the american citizen a a $75 filing fee is Only collected when the petition is properly submitted and accepted for adjudication. If the petition is returned because something is missing the fee is returned with it. A the fee for the visa is $200 per person. A the Law requires an applicant to prove he or she will not become a Public charge. There Are no specific documents required to demonstrate this and every Case is different. A a successful visa applicant cannot be deported for applying for welfare within three years. However the sponsors income will be considered available to the applicant and May make the applicant ineligible for welfare during the three year period. A the immigrant visa staff is required by Law to administer provisions of , immigration Taw and cannot Issue visas to people who do not meet the qualifications of the Law. A a second application upon arrival in the United states is not required. A person entering the United states on an immigrant visa will have the documents checked at the Airport and the alien registration card will be mailed automatically to the address listed on the immigrant visa application. A if applicants have been married less than two years when entering the states the resident alien status expires two years from the Date of entry unless they file for lifting of the conditional status. There Are conditions that allow for lifting of the conditional status even if a divorce occurs. A fianc6 petitions cannot be filed overseas but can be mailed to the immigration and naturalization service in the United states. It can take four to six months for petition approval and afianc6 cannot apply for a visa until the petition is approved. A Gary Pomero Price is right in Greenland for Sonderstrom Abby Jan Olsen the associated press fifteen cents usually does t buy much but Greenland is getting a whole . Air base including a hotel apartments a nightclub and a Dairy. At the Price of one danish Krone the Greenlander could hardly pass up Sonderstrom which would Cost $498 million to replace. Now they have to decide what to do with it for decades the base was an Arctic Lookout m Case of a soviet attack across the North pole but the soviet Union no longer exists. Quot it s a ghost town now Quot said Louis Muller Dimmg his taxi Down deserted Snow covered Central Street. Quot i m going Back to Denmark to get in the unemployment  Tom Christoffersen Union spokesman for the 275 Danes and Greenlander whose contracts expire oct. 1, added Quot the end of the cold War has its  in the late 1950s, about 1,200 airmen lived at Sonderstrom which covers 250 Square Miles on the Western Edge of the world s largest Island. Now the complement is Down to 11. About half the civilians expect to lose their jobs when the base is turned Over to Greenland on oct 1. The rest will remain to maintain the buildings and operate services for the adjoining civilian Airport. After the Transfer the United states will be allowed Access when needed. During the Gulf War. Sonderstrom served As a refuelling station. A 2.4-mile runway divides the military base from the commercial Airport called . Since 1954, it has been Greenland s main port of entry. Passengers Transfer to smaller planes for flights to the Island s Remote towns which Are not served by roads. Area residents want to turn the base into a tourist and convention Center because of its convenient location next to the Airport. Some politicians however dream of building an International Airport near Uuk the capital of Greenland 280 Miles South. There is Money for neither. It costs the air Force $26 million every year to run the base Well have a much tighter  said William Butler 5ct a retired air Force colonel from Colorado san nos. Colo., who will manage the base for Greenland. Page 16 a the stars and stripes monday june 15, 1992