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A Message from
President Bush:

President Bush"America is not a fortress; no, we never want to be a fortress. We're a free country; we're an open society. And we must always protect the rights of our law -- of law-abiding citizens from around the world who come here to conduct business or to study or to spend time with their family."

-- 14 May 2002, President Bush Signs Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act

President Bush Signature


Welcome to UnitedStatesVisas.gov, an official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures. Use this site to learn about the visa application process, understand current requirements, and get updates on recent developments.

This site serves as a single point of access to U.S. visa information. It will connect you to additional, in-depth information found on Web sites managed by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

To find information specific to your country or region, you may also go to the Web site of your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate by clicking Locate a Consular Office.

Doing Business and Working in the U.S.
  DOING BUSINESS and
WORKING in the U.S.
"My company's headquarters is in the United States. I go there several times a year on business."
   Learn more »
Studying in the U.S.
  STUDYING in the U.S. and coming on an exchange
"After I got my M.A. degree in English language and literature in my home country, I got my PhD. in the U.S."
   Learn more »
Visiting the U.S.
  VISITING the U.S.
"We visited the United States as tourists, starting in New York and ending in California."
   Learn more »
Coming Permanently to the U.S.
  COMING PERMANENTLY
to the U.S.
"We joined our children in the United States and became permanent residents."
   Learn more »
VISA BASICS


For more than 50 years, the United States of America has required visas to study, visit, or conduct business in the U.S. While changes have been made recently to U.S. visa law, many procedures remain the same. To learn more, read this step-by-step guide to the visa process.


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VISA NEWS
 » 

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has obtained a court order to shut down a business concern that the agency alleges was defrauding consumers attempting to participate in the diversity immigrant visa program.
 Read more »

 » 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demonstrated new procedures that will require most visitors traveling on visas to the United States to have two fingerprints scanned by an inkless device and a digital photograph taken by immigration officials upon entry at U.S. air and seaports starting January 5, 2004.
 Read more »

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