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 CARIBBEAN TODAY


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IMMIGRATION

VKORNER '

QUESTION: How do I get a
re-entry permit into the U.S.?

ANSWER: If you want to get a
re-entry permit, file Form I-
131, Application for Travel
Document, says the U.S.
Citizenship & Immigration
Services (USCIS).
 Officials say you should file
this application well in advance
of your planned trip. The 1-131
is available at uscis.gov and the
instructions on the form will
give you more details. If you
have questions after reading
the instructions, call customer
service at 1-800-375-5283.
 A re-entry permit estab-
lishes a presumption that you
did not abandon your legal sta-
tus in the United States, and it
allows you to apply for admis-
sion to the U.S. after traveling
abroad for up to two years,
without having to obtain a
returning resident visa, the
USCIS say.


Getting a re-entry permit into the U.S.


 Re-entry permits are nor-
mally valid for two years from
the date of issuance. It can help
prevent problems associated
with your Permanent Resident
Card becoming technically
invalid for re-entry into the
U.S. if you are absent from the
U.S. for one year or more, or
your U.S. permanent residence
being considered as abandoned
for absences shorter than one
year, if you take up residence
in another country.
 You may also want to get a
re-entry permit if you plan on
traveling outside the U.S. and
cannot, or do not wish to get a
passport from your home coun-
try. Many countries throughout
the world may allow you to use
a re-entry permit much like you
would use a passport placing
necessary visas, and entry and
exit stamps in the permit so
you may use it as your main
travel document. Be sure to
check with the countries you
plan on visiting about their
requirements before you travel.
 U.S. immigration rules do
not require you have the docu-
ment in your possession when


you depart, but they do require
that you apply for the permit
before you leave the U.S.
 Note that re-entry permits
can't be extended. If your per-
mit expires, you'll need to
apply for a new one. If you
have a valid re-entry permit in
your possession, you will need
to send it in when you apply
for a new one. You need not
send in an expired re-entry
permit. For security reasons,
the USCIS says it will not issue
a new re-entry permit to some-
one who already has a valid
one in his or her possession.
 If you need a new re-entry
permit because your previous
one was lost, stolen, or destroyed,
please indicate this on your appli-
cation for the new permit.
Compiled by Felicia Persaud
The answers provided here are
for information purposes only,
and do not create an attorney-
client relationship; nor are they
a substitute for "legal advice",
which can only be given by a
competent attorney after review-
ing all the facts of the case.


FYI


 GETTING TO KNOW YOU



I .......


June is "Caribbean American
Heritage Month". Caribbean
Today will use its FYI col-
umn to list some of the activ-
ities during the month.

 HIV/AIDS AWARENESS
June 8 of Caribbean
American Heritage Month in
the United States is being
used to observe National
Caribbean American
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
(NCAHAAD).
 NCAHAAD is a national
mobilization effort designed
to encourage Caribbean
Americans and individuals
born in the Caribbean, across
the U.S. and its territories, to
get educated, tested, treated
and involved. It is also a time
to reflect, memorialize and
show compassion for those
infected or affected by
HIV/AIDS.

 TAMPA CELEBRATES
The Caribbean American
Heritage Foundation of
Tampa Bay, Florida has lined
up several events to mark
Caribbean American Heritage
Month. They will be held in
Tampa. Among them are the
following:
* June 7, noon to 5 p.m. -
Caribbean American Business
Expo, Carrollwood Cultural
Center Annex, 13335 Casey Rd.
* June 8-22 Caribbean Art
Festival, Orange Park Gallery,
1215 N. Franklin St.
* June 18, 6:30 p.m. Wide
Awake Wednesday's topic:
"Caribbean American
Commonalities and
Misconceptions", Mango's,
4237 Armenia Ave.
* June 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. -
Caribbean American Wellness
Health Festival, Carrollwood
Cultural Center Annex.
* June 28,9 p.m. Tampa Bay
Seventh Annual Calypso
Competition.
* June 29, noon to 6 p.m. -
Caribbean American Family
Olympics, Rowlette Park,
North 22nd Street and
Rowlette Dr.

 GEORGIA EVENTS
The Georgia Caribbean
American Heritage Coalition
(GCAHC) has announced
several events in June. They
include the following:
* June 7,6 p.m. to 9 p.m. -
Caribbean Cultural Variety
Show, co-hosted by the
Atlanta Caribbean
Association, Hillside
Presbyterian Church, 1879
Columbia Dr., Decatur.
* June 13, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. -
Launch reception of the
GCAHC's mentorship/intern-
ship program, Junor Fine Art
Gallery, 114 E. Ponce de Leon
Ave., Decatur.
* June 19, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. -
Business opportunities semi-


June 2008


nar, Clark Atlanta University,
223 James P. Brawley Dr.,
Atlanta.
* June 25-26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -
Caribbean Arts and Culture
Symposium. June 25 event at
Savannah College of Art and
Design, Atlanta campus, 1600
Peachtree St. June 26 event
at Auburn Research Library
on African American Culture
and History, 100 Auburn Ave.
Visit www.caribbeansympo-
sium.com for more informa-
tion.
* June 28, 7:30 p.m. Awards
banquet and silent auction,
John Williams Ballroom, The
Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria
Parkway, Atlanta. Visit
www.cobbgalleria.com or call
404-667-7933 for more infor-
mation.






 Street Address:
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 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6010
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 Telephone: (305) 238-2868
 (305) 253-6029 Fax: (305) 252-7843
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 E-mail: editor@caribbeantoday.com
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 Vol. 19, Number 7 JUNE 2008

 PETER A WEBLEY
 Publisher

 GORDON WILLIAMS
 Managing Editor

 SABRINA HOPKINS
 Graphic Artist

 DOROTHY CHIN
 Account Executive
 SHARON LEE
 Account Executive

 JACQUELINE RUBIANO
 Accounting Manager
 Caribbean Media Source
 Media Representatives

 TOM JONAS
 353 St. Nicolas Street, Suite 200
 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 2P1
 Tel: (514) 931-0422* Fax: (514) 931-0455
 E-mail: tom@cmsworldmedia.com
 Jamaica Bureau
 MARIE GREGORY
 (876) 925-5640
 P.O. Box 127, Constant Spring
 Kingston 8, Jamaica
 Opinions expressed by editors and writers
 are not necessarily those of thepublisher.

 Caribbean Today, an independent
 news magazine, is published every month
 by Caribbean Publishing & Services, Inc.
 Caribbean Today is not responsible
 for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. To
 guarantee return, please include a self-
 addressed stamped envelope.
 Articles appearing in Caribbean
 Today may not be reproduced without
 written permission of the editor.


 JIS/NYC photograph
Geneive Brown Metzger, center, consul general of Jamaica in New York, was among several of her peers who were feted at a
recent reception for new consuls general organized by the Society of Foreign Consuls (SoFC). The consuls general and their guests
were hosted by Christopher Forbes, right, vice chairman, Forbes, at the Forbes Galleries in Manhattan. At left is Michael Hess, sen-
ior managing partner of Giuliani Partners, LLC.


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