December 7th, 2023 at 12:23 am
Final Visa Processing 2023 – DOS Issues 10 Million Visas in FY 2023
The successes of FY 2023 in processing visas and the next steps that must be taken. The DOS released a press release last week in November 2023, outlining the agency’s accomplishments in Visa operations for the fiscal year 2023. The press release highlights the agency’s outstanding performance for this fiscal year and provides a roadmap for future growth.
The announcement included data and accomplishments regarding the organization’s historical record of issuing non-immigrant visas in several different categories. Over ten million non-immigrant visas were issued by the agency between October 2022 and September 2023. Of these, eight million were for business or tourism, 600,000 were for students, 442,000 were for temporary workers, 365,000 were for airline and shipping crew members who are essential to the country’s supply chain, and 590,000 were for highly skilled and executive workers (many of whom are from critical industries like technology and Healthcare)
DOS and its Staff for their Effort in Achieving these Successes
The agency’s ability to recover from the closures and backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is commendable, but a large part of its success may be attributed to the strategic procedures that agency employees put in place to expedite the processing of visa applications without jeopardizing national security.
One of those policies is the interview waiver flexibility, which is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2023. The Department of State expressly highlights the benefits of this policy for the processing of visas. Almost half of all temporary visas awarded in 2022 were granted without a face-to-face interview. As a result, non-immigrant visa processing is expedited, and agency employees are better able to handle other tasks relating to visas.
While it awaits approval from the Department of Homeland Security, the Administration has not yet announced its intention to extend the interview waivers. In a letter to DHS and DOS leadership dated November 17, 2023, AILA and 65 Coalition Partners urged that this policy be extended past its December 31st expiration date and highlighted the numerous benefits it has had on visa wait times.
The US Economy and National Security
It is uncertain whether the outstanding progress DOS has made can be maintained in the absence of the ongoing use of interview waiver authorities. The flexibility of the interview waiver Another policy measure that will have a positive influence on visa processing is the agency’s planned Stateside non-immigrant Visa renewal pilot, as mentioned in the news release.
For several years, AILA has pushed for the reinstatement of Stateside non-immigrant visa renewals, and we are thrilled to see this happen. The pilot program is scheduled to commence in early 2024 and will initially be restricted to 20,000 H-1B principles. By renewing their non-immigrant visas from within the US, those people will be able to lessen uncertainty and shorten wait times at the agency’s consular facilities overseas.
The organization is getting ready to publish a federal notice in December 2023 that will include all the specifics. While the program’s operationality is tested in this, admittedly modest trial, the program’s installation and eventual expansion should lead to increased agency services efficiency. Congress must take action to end the backlogs and delays in the processing of visas.
Further Details
AILA supports the Bipartisan Visa Processing Improvement Act, which was presented by Senators Klobuchar and Moran (R-KS). The act establishes a pilot program for remote video interviews, permanently codifies interview waiver flexibilities for specific non-immigrant visa categories, and guarantees agency accountability and transparency, among other things.
Congress must appropriate funds for initiatives to streamline procedures so that the DOS can permanently eliminate its backlog. These changes will shorten visa wait times and delays while giving the agency much-needed resources and capacity. AILA is appreciative of the commitment and creativity shown by DOS employees in cutting down on visa wait periods and increasing the number of immigrant and non-immigrant visas issued.
The agency will be able to sustain the growth and accomplishments of 2023 into the new year if these tried-and-true tactics are consistently put into practice.
US Family-Based Green Card Sponsorship
Eligibility for a family-based green card sponsorship based on US domicile. Most applications submit on behalf of foreign relatives. The petitioner must act as the intended immigrant’s financial sponsor under Form I-130. One of the prerequisites for becoming a sponsor is that the applicant must be a US citizen.
While proving a US domicile might not be difficult for a petitioner who lives in the US permanently, those who live overseas will probably need to take further measures to meet this criteria.
US Domicile Requirement
When someone has a US domicile, it indicates that they plan to live in the US for the foreseeable future and that it is their primary place of abode. Although having US citizenship or lawful permanent residence status does not automatically satisfy the requirement of having a US domicile, there are situations in which a joint sponsor can relieve a primary sponsor of their financial obligations, as detailed in the murthy.com news brief 2023 poverty guideline.
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