On June 23, 2004, the Department of State (DOS) announced the discontinuance of its domestic visa revalidation service with regard to the C, E, H, I, L, O and P visa categories. Applications for visa revalidation in the above categories must be received in the St. Louis Processing Office by July 16, 2004 in order to be processed. All applications received after July 16 will be returned to the sender. Applications following a visa refusal under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act will, however, be accepted through September 30, 2004.

Persons Not Affected By Visa Revalidation Discontinuance

Discontinuance of the visa revalidation service will not impact those persons who are in possession of a work-related nonimmigrant visa, such as an H-1B or L-1, and their spouse and children, provided they do not travel outside the U.S. Upon the expiration of their current period of admission, they may apply for an extension, if eligible, in the U.S.

Who will be affected

Individuals in one of the affected visa categories (C, E, H, I, L, O and P) who travel outside the U.S. will only be able to get a new visa stamp at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the U.S., thus losing the option of renewing their visa stamp in the U.S.

The DOS decided to discontinue the visa revalidation service due to new national security measures, which include new biometric visa requirements. Individuals in the above-referenced visa categories should consult with their immigration attorney before making any travel plans to leave the United States.

By Teressa Accurso Dickman
Law Offices of Teressa Accurso Dickman, P.A.
www.ImmigratingToAmerica.com

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