The Rev. Cathal Gallagher of De Smet hasn't been the only foreign-born priest of the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese worried about his Immigration and Naturalization Service paperwork.

The Rev. Paul Nereparampil, a Catholic priest from India assigned to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Highmore, found a letter from the INS waiting for him when he returned home July 4 from a six-week visit to India.

The INS requested another copy of his birth certificate, this one to be certified with the signature of a different state official in India than the original one contained. He had until July 24 to deliver it to the INS office in Lincoln, Neb., the letter said.

"For five years, the one they had on file was valid, but apparently, now it is not," he said.

Postal delivery from India takes 15 days, so Nereparampil said it was a frantic rush for his family in India to get the required document signed by the appropriate authority and mailed to the U.S. by the deadline. He submitted it to the INS earlier this week.

"It made for a lot of tension to get it done, but I feel confident now that it will be approved," he said. His one-year work permit expires in December, and he hopes to be approved for a green card.