𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟒: 𝐅𝐀𝐐𝐬 – 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏
On December 31, 2020, former President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation on Suspension of Entry of Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Who Continue to Present a Risk to the United States Labor Market<https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/extension-of-presidential-proclamation-10052.html#ExternalPopup>. Although this proclamation extended Presidential Proclamations (P.P.) 10014 and 10052 through March 31, 2021, President Biden rescinded P.P. 10014 on February 24, 2021. P.P. 10014 suspended the entry to the United States of certain immigrant visa applicants, while P.P. 10052 suspends the entry to the United States of certain nonimmigrant visa applicants who present a risk to the U.S. labor market during the economic recovery following the novel coronavirus outbreak. Specifically, the suspension in P.P. 10052 applies to applicants for H-1B, H-2B, and L-1 visas; J-1 visa applicants participating in the intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel programs; and any spouses or children of covered applicants applying for H-4, L-2, or J-2 visas.
For further information on the rescission of P.P. 10014, please see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/rescission-of-presidential-proclamation-10014.html .For further information on P. P. 10052, please see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/proclamation-suspending-entry-of-immigrants-and-nonimmigrants-who-present-risk-to-the-US-labor-market-during-the-economic-recovery-following-the-COVID-19-outbreak.html.
𝐐: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝?
A: Posts that process nonimmigrant visa applications are prioritizing the visa categories below after meeting demand for services to U.S. citizens and as resources and post-specific conditions allow: travelers with urgent travel needs; foreign diplomats; certain mission critical categories of travelers such as those coming to assist with the U.S. response to the pandemic; students (F-1, M-1, and certain J-1 visas); and temporary employment visas.
𝐐: 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐏𝐏 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟓𝟐 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐚𝐥4;⻑𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝?
A: At this time, PP10052 remains in effect and is set to expire on March 31, 2021 unless extended by the President. For questions regarding potential changes to any existing Presidential Proclamations, or potential future Proclamations, we refer you to the White House.
𝐐: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚he same v𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬?
A: Our number one priority is the health and safety of our applicants and our personnel. The current immigrant visa interview backlog has developed because of a variety of factors, including limitations in staffing and our ability to process the same volume of applicants in our overseas embassies and consulates due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as now-rescinded presidential proclamations. Though we continue to face real and persistent challenges in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to decreasing this backlog by prioritizing certain visas and marshalling all available resources until our task is accomplished. Applicants should check the website of their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for updates on what visa services are currently available.
𝐐: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
A: The geographic COVID-19-related PPs 9984, 9992, and 10143, which suspend entry into the United States of foreign nationals who have been physically present in the People’s Republic of China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa in the 14 day period before seeking entry into the United States, remain in effect.
Immigrant visa applicants who are spouses or children of U.S. citizens and LPRs (IR/CR-1, IR/CR-2, IR/IH-3, IR/IH-4, and F2A) are excepted from the geographic COVID-19 PPs. All other immigrant visa applicants and K fiancé nonimmigrant visa applicants remain subject to these geographic COVID-19 PPs., unless another exception applies.