Discontinuation of Domestic Visa Service for Certain Non-Immigrant Visas July 16, 2004

PR0435E | Date: 2004-06-29

The U.S. State Department is discontinuing its domestic reissuance service for E, H, I, L, O, and P visas. The Department will stop accepting applications for these visa classifications on July 16, 2004. The Department will continue to process diplomatic and official visas (A, G, and NATO) in Washington and at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York.

This action is being taken because Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act requires the State Department to incorporate a biometric in every U.S. visa issued after October 26, 2004. All visa-adjudicating posts abroad will have fingerprint-scanning equipment installed before the October deadline. Persons residing in the United States in one of the affected visa classes may continue to reside in the country for the period granted by Department of Homeland Security officers at ports of entry. If these persons depart the United States and require new visas to reenter, after July 16 they must seek adjudication of a new visa application at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.

A notice announcing the termination of domestic reissuance service for these visas appears in the Federal Register of June 23, 2004, Public Notice 4747, at page 35121.