October 29, 2002

Department of State Stops Automatic 20-Day Hold on NIV Applications for Nationals from the “List of 26” Countries

The Department of State has just issued a cable which instructs all its consular posts to put an immediate halt to the automatic 20-day hold which had been put in place for nonimmigrant visa applications from nationals from the “List of 26” countries. This 20-day hold had been enacted as an interim measure after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Based on improved interagency data sharing and new clearance procedures implemented since the attacks, the State Department feels that the 20-day automatic hold is no longer necessary.

This measure is to apply to all nonimmigrant visa applications from “List of 26” countries, including any that are currently in the process of being held for the 20-day period. These nonimmigrant visa applications are now to be processed immediately. However, for applications that are subject to special clearance procedures and security checks for other reasons (such as potential export control issues, possible fraud issues, suspected terrorist activities, etc.), these clearance procedures and security checks are to continue. This decision should help alleviate some of the lengthy backlogs that have developed at U.S. Embassies and Consulates for nonimmigrant visa applications which were being held only because the applicants were from a “List of 26” country.

The “List of 26” countries are Afghanistan; Algeria; Bahrain; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; Malaysia; Morocco; Oman; Pakistan; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Somalia; Sudan; Syria; Tunisia; Turkey; the United Arab Emirates; and Yemen.