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Visa

Last Updated: | Publication

National Interest Exception from Presidential Proclamation 10294

On October 25, 2021, President Biden issued Presidential Proclamation 10294, entitled "Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic," which suspends and limits the entry into the United States of non-citizens by air travel who are nonimmigrants ("noncitizen nonimmigrants") and who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Presidential Proclamation 10294 contains specified exceptions, including a specific exception for noncitizen nonimmigrants "whose entry would be in the national interest," and entrusts the Secretary of Homeland Security (along with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Transportation) to make this determination.

Last Updated: | Press Releases

DHS Announces Availability of Additional H-2B Visas for First Half of Fiscal Year

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of 20,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2022. These visas are for U.S. employers that are facing irreparable harm without additional workers and seeking to employ additional workers on or before March 31, 2022. 

Last Updated: | Publication

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations 2005

CIS Ombudsman's 2005 Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Last Updated: | Publication

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2007

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2007

Last Updated: | Publication

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2008

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2008

Last Updated: | Publication

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2011

CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 2011

Last Updated: | Publication

Proposed Rule - Modification of Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions

The following is the text of the proposed rule that the Acting Secretary approved on October 28, 2020. The official version of this document will publish in the Federal Register and be available at https://www.federalregister.gov. The comment period will open on the date of the official version’s publication in the Federal Register.

Last Updated: | Publication

Retention Memo to CBP for CRCL Investigation Concerning Invalidating F1 Visas of Iranian Nationals

CRCL opened complaints alleging that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) violated civil rights or civil liberties by invalidating F1 student visas belonging to applicants from Iran, applying a five-year bar to admission to the applicants, and removing an applicant from the United States in violation of a court order, among other allegations. 

Last Updated: | Publication

National Interest Exemption From Presidential Proclamations 9984, 9992, 9993, and 9996 Regarding Novel Coronavirus for Certain Professional Athletes and Their Essential Staff and Dependents

To address the threat to the nation posed by the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), the President issued Proclamations 9984, 9992, 9993, and 9996, suspending the entry of all noncitizens who were physically present within the People’s Republic of China (excluding the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau), the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. Each of the above proclamations includes an exception for “any noncitizen whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees.”

Last Updated: | Testimony

Written testimony of CBP, ICE, PLCY, and S&T for a House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security hearing titled “Overstaying Their Welcome: National Security Risks Posed by Visa Overstays”

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Wagner, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations National Security Investigations Division Assistant Director Craig Healy, Office of Policy (PLCY) Screening Coordination Office Deputy Assistant Secretary Kelli Ann Burriesci, and Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency Deputy Director Bob Burns address the progress DHS is making to incorporate biometrics into DHS’ comprehensive entry/exit system and to identify, report, and address overstays in support of DHS’ border security and immigration enforcement missions.