Visa Policy Telegrams

From time to time, the Visa Office transmits policy guidance by telegram to consular sections around the world.

• Update on the 2006 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2006) (9/28/04)
• Visa Waiver Program (VWP): Imminent Dates and Important Facts for ALL Posts (9/23/04)
• SEVIS Fee Upcoming (8/31/04)
• Key Visa Processing Information on Post Websites (8/28/04)
• Non-Immigrant Travel Initiative (8/06/04)
• Initiative to Facilitate Business Travel (7/30/04)
• Key Visa Processing Information on Post Websites (7/24/04)
• Credentialing Requirement for Foreign Media Employees of Independent Production Companies (07/19/04)
• Student and Exchange Visitor Processing Reminder (07/15/04)
• NATO Expansion: Revision of 9 FAM 41.25 (06/23/04)
• Prospective Students Entering on B Visas (06/22/04)
• DHS No Longer Accepting H1B and H2B Petitions (04/02/04)
• Determining prevailing wage requirement for visas of domestic employees (3/26/04)
• Biometric and Machine-Readable Passport Requirements for Visa Waiver Program Travelers Beginning October 26, 2004 (3/16/04)
• H-1B1 Temporary Entry of Nonimmigrant Professionals (3/11/04)
• Guidelines and Changes for Returning DHS/BCIS Approved NIV and IV Petitions (2/25/04)
• Jurisdiction for Libyan NIV Applications (2/24/04)
• L Visas and the H-1B Cap (2/18/04)
• Visa Applications and the Olympic Games in Greece (2/11/04)
• Revision of NAFTA Professional Procedures for Mexicans (2/9/04)
• Biometrics 9 -- Press Coverage Encouraged (2/6/04)
• Defining Students for Summer Exchange Programs (1/28/04)
• Visa Applications, Machine-Readable Passports and Biometrics: Requirements for NIV Applicants Before and After October 26, 2004 (1/26/04)
• Optional Practical Training and the I-20 (1/22/04)
• B-1 in Lieu of J-1 Visas for USG-Funded Travel (1/6/04)
• Postponement of Machine-Readable Passport Requirement for Visa Waiver Travelers of Luxembourg (11/24/03)
• Postponement of Deadline for Machine-Readable Passports for Travellers from Certain Visa Waiver Countries (9/25/03)
• Sunset of Certain Special Immigrant Religious Worker Categories (8/12/03)
• Transit Without Visa (TWOV) Suspension - Press Release, Talking Points and Handout (8/2/03)
• Deadline Nears for Machine-Readable Passports Needed by Visa Waiver Program Travelers (7/15/03)
• Crew List Visas, Waiver of Personal Appearance and Facilitation of Individual C-1/D Applications (7/13/03)
• Internet Location of the New Iraqi Border Control Law (7/8/03)
• Questionnaire for Minor Visa 93 Beneficiaries (7/1/03)
• Machine-Readable Passport Required for All Visa Waiver Travelers Beginning October 1, 2003 (6/12/03)
• Journalists and "I" Visas (6/6/03)
• Standard Operating Procedures No. 22: Revision to Visas Mantis Clearance Procedure (6/5/03)
• Child Status Protection Act: ALDAC #3 (5/29/03)
• Child Status Protection Act: ALDAC #4 (5/17/03)
• Border Security - Waiver of Personal Appearance for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants - Revision to the Regulations (5/21/03)
• Standard Operating Procedures: Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Processing Update (3/21/03)
• Requirement That DV Applicant Sign in "Native" Alphabet (3/7/03)
• Standard Operating Procedures: SEVIS Processing Update (3/5/03)
• New Poverty Guidelines for IV Affidavit of Support (2/22/03)
• Final SEVIS Verification and Reporting Instructions (2/12/03)
• A Revised DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application (2/12/03)
• Changes in Visa Reciprocity for Eastern Caribbean Countries (2/12/03)
• Change in NIV Photo Standards (2/11/03)
• Canadian Landed Immigrants (2/1/03)
• Child Status Protection Act: ALDAC #2 (1/17/03)
• SEVIS and New Student and Exchange Visitor Forms (1/3/03)
• Border Commuter Student Act of 2002 (12/3/02)
• Termination of 20-Day Hold Procedure for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applications (10/18/02)
• ISEAS: Further Clarification and Instructions (9/11/02)
• The Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System (9/11/02)
• Child Status Protection Act of 2002: ALDAC #1 (8/26/02)
• A New Form - DS-3096, Consular Return / Case Transfer Cover Sheet (7/6/02)
• New FAM Notes on Parole (7/6/02)
• USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 6 - Revised Interpretation of Age-Out Provision (6/26/02)
• SEVIS and New Student and Exchange Visitor Forms (6/12/02)
• New FAM Notes on Spot-Checking Issued Nonimmigrant Visas (6/8/02)
• A New Form - DS-3035, J-1 Visa Waiver Review Application (6/3/02)
• Jurisdiction for Liberia Visa Cases (6/1/02)
• New Nonimmigrant T Visa Category (5/29/02)
• IRS Form 9003 No Longer Required (5/16/02)
• Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 - ALDAC No. 1 (5/15/02)
• Taliban Passports No Longer Valid (5/10/02)
• USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 6 - Relief for Visa Applicants Directly and Adversely Affected by the Events of September 11 (4/26/02)
• Guide to V and K3 Processing (4/26/02)
• Substitution of Alternative Sponsor If Original Sponsor Dies (4/15/02)
• V Visa Medical Issues and Request for V Visa Annotations and Medical Envelopes for All Class A Medical Conditions and Class B (Tuberculosis) Medical Conditions (3/20/02)
• Revised Regulation on Automatic Revalidations (3/14/02)
• Immigrant Visa Petitions: 40 Quarters SSA in Lieu of I-864 (2/22/02)
• USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 5 - Section 422: Relief for Some DV-2001 Applicants Affected by the Events of September 11, 2001 (2/20/02)
• Revised ECFMG Requirements for Foreign Medical Graduates (2/20/02)
• G Visa Eligibility for Privatized INTELSAT (1/29/02)
• HR 2277 (PL 107-124) and HR 2278 (PL 107-125) Signed into Law (1/29/02)
• Removal of New Petition Requirment for Certain H1-B Applicants (1/25/02)
• French Guiana Now Part of Embassy Paramaribo's Consular District for NIV and IV Purposes (1/21/02)
• Clarification on the Use of the DS-157 (1/12/02)
• A New Form - DS-157, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application (1/11/02)
• Guinea-Bissau Now Part Of Embassy Lisbon's Consular District For NIV Purposes (12/31/01)
• Prescreening of Immigrant Visa Cases: Changes to FAM Guidance Concerning Prescreening Programs (12/13/01)
• Changes to Packet System for Immigrant Visa Processing (12/11/01)
• V Visas - Unapproved Petition Beneficiary Names Added to CLASS (12/6/01)
• Visa Provisions in USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 4 - New Money Laundering Ineligibility Under 212(a)(2)(I) (12/4/01)
• USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 3 - Help for Ageouts (11/21/01)
• Nonimmigrant Visas for Medical Treatment (11/19/01)
• Revised Procedural Notes Concerning NIV Photo Requirements (11/9/01)
• Visa Provisions in USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 2 (11/3/01)
• Visa Provisions in USA-PATRIOT Act Series: No. 1 (11/2/01)
• New Nonimmigrant 41.81(K) Notes (11/2/01)
• K3 Visa Implementation (9/27/01)
• Extension of Immigrant and K Visas (9/20/01)
• K3/4 Visa Processing and Requirement for Panel Physicians (9/14/01)
• V Visa Processing - Next Steps (9/1/01)
• B-1 Visas for Missionaries (8/7/01)
• Removal of Valletta as Designated IV Processing Post for Libyans (8/3/01)
• Guidance on Petition Revocations (7/13/01)
• B-2 Classification for Cohabiting Partners (7/9/01)
• Russia Removed From TWOV Ineligible List (6/16/01)
• Determining Orphan Visa Classification (6/16/01)
• Elimination of the Affidavit of Support Requirement for Certain Applicants Classified IR-2 OR IR-3 (6/16/01)
• Processing I-140 Petitions for Applicants Residing in the U.S. (9/20/00)