| Discontinuation of Domestic Visa Revalidation Services The Revalidation Division has discontinued its domestic visa revalidation (or reissuance) service. Notification of the discontinuation of domestic visa revalidation services was published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2004. THE DIVISION CLOSED TO NEW APPLICATIONS ON JULY 16, 2004. All completed applications for visa revalidations in the E, H, I, L, O, or P categories received on or before July 16, 2004 in the St. Louis processing office will be processed by the Visa Office in the order in which they were received. The Visa Office will continue to adhere to a strict first-received, first processed policy. The Visa Office is unable to expedite visa re-issuance. If you submitted an application for visa revalidation and learn that you must travel urgently, please see “How do I withdraw a pending revalidation application?” Processing Time The Visa Office is unable to provide status reports on revalidation applications. Application processing time is approximately 8 to 10 (eight to ten) weeks from the date the application is data-entered in the Visa Office. (Generally, the Visa Office data enters applications approximately 10 (ten) days after they are received in the St. Louis processing center.) Return of Applications Received After July 16, 2004 All new applications and supporting documentation received in the St. Louis processing center after July 16 will be returned to the applicant, attorney, or employer using the self-addressed, stamped envelope or completed, prepaid airbill provided by the applicant, attorney, or employer. New applications and documentation received without a self-addressed, stamped envelope or completed, prepaid airbill will be returned to the applicant via the U.S. Postal Service using the address on the visa application form DS-156. Applications submitted prior to July 16 but which lacked required documentation were returned by the St. Louis processing center. The processing center accepted resubmission of those applications if they were received by the processing center before July 16. The $100 non-immigrant visa application fee and any applicable visa issuance fees will not be collected on any applications received at the processing center after July 16, 2004. Those checks or money orders will be returned with the application materials to the attorney, applicant, or employer. Communications on Visa Revalidation Applications ALL communication on visa revalidation applications is through the Visa Office in Washington. The Visa Revalidation Division’s fax number is 202-663-1608. Visa Office 221(g) Refusals, Requests for Corrections, and Visa Replacement Following Damage, Loss, or Theft of Visa Office-Issued Visa Applications for visa revalidation following a 221(g) refusal made in the Visa Office must be received in the Visa Office in Washington no later than September 30, 2004. (Applications for visa revalidation following a 221(g) refusal which involves payment of the reciprocal visa issuance fee must be received by the processing center in St. Louis by September 30, 2004.) Requests for corrections on visas issued in the Visa Office must be received in the Visa Office no later than September 30, 2004. Requests for visa replacement following the damage, loss, or theft of a visa issued within the past 12 (twelve) months in the Visa Office must be received in the Visa Office no later than September 30, 2004. Visa And Documentation Return Issued visas and other documents (passports, I-94s, employment letters, I-797s, etc.) are returned via the applicant’s/attorney’s/employer’s self-addressed, stamped envelope or prepaid courier airbill and courier envelope. The Visa Office does not keep a record of the airbill or other tracking number. The Visa Office does not retain any documentation in a visa revalidation application except the application forms and application photograph. Documentation submitted with applications denied under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act is also returned. The U.S. Postal Service and the major courier service companies pick up envelopes and packages from the Visa Office’s office building daily. The Visa Office cannot guarantee that the U.S. Postal Service or any courier service company will pick up envelopes on any given day, or when the courier service company or the U.S. Postal Service will dispatch the envelopes. The Visa Office does not track outgoing envelopes or packages. If you paid a visa issuance reciprocity fee but the Visa Office cannot revalidate your visa, the reciprocity fee will be refunded by the U.S. Treasury Department. The $100 nonimmigrant visa application fee is not refundable once the Visa Office processes your application, even if your visa is not revalidated. If you have not received your refund, please fax the Revalidation Division at 202-663-1608 stating your name, mailing address, and telephone number. Please include a copy of the Visa Office letter stating that you would receive a refund. Why the Domestic Revalidation Service Is Being Discontinued After many years of service, the Revalidation Division discontinued its domestic revalidation service for E, H, I, L, O, and P visas. Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act requires the Department of State to collect a biometric identifier (fingerprint) from all non-diplomatic visa applicants. It is not feasible for the Department of State to collect the biometric identifiers. Making a Revalidation Application Abroad We encourage all applicants to apply for new visas in their home countries. If you are not traveling to your home country, you may apply at a U.S. visa processing post in Canada and Mexico provided you have made a visa interview appointment. You may also apply at a U.S. visa processing post in a third country provided you have made an interview appointment. You should understand that if there is a delay in visa issuance, you may need to spend more time overseas than you originally planned. Information on U.S. visa adjudicating posts and their visa interview appointment systems is at http://usembassy.state.gov. Depending on the type of appointment system in place at a particular U.S. visa adjudicating post, a business associate, friend, or relative in-country may need to make the visa interview appointment for you. The Department of State has directed its visa processing posts to give priority to applicants who would have benefited from our domestic visa revalidation service. Related Links How do I extend my stay in the U.S.?
How do I resubmit an application that was refused for lack of documentation?
How do I withdraw a pending revalidation application?
How do I submit a visa that needs correction?
How do I replace a lost or damaged visa?
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