Gov't to allow more immigrants to stay

WASHINGTON (AP):

Some immigrants who have stayed in the United States longer than they were allowed can soon apply to keep living in the US under another immigration policy change quietly authorised by the Obama administration.

IMMEDIATE RELATIVES OF US CITIZENS SPARED

According to a November 14 policy memorandum from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, some immigrants from 37 Visa Waiver Program countries who are immediate relatives of US citizens may be allowed to stay.

People from visa waiver countries don't have to get a visa before coming to the US, but they can only stay for up to 90 days. The programme covers mostly European countries.

The new policy was issued in mid-November, a day before the administration announced plans to let some immigrant parents, children and spouses of US military personnel stay in the United States.