Please contact the Office of International Services (312-996-3121) if you have questions about these new requirements and ways they may affect your travel plans.


Summary of Recent Changes in the Visa Application Process
Prepared by the Office of International Services on March 20, 2002
Changes to Automatic Visa Revalidation Requirements
On March 7, 2002, an Interim Rule was published by the U.S. Department  of State. This interim rule affects the ability of certain nonimmigrants to use the "automatic visa revalidation" option to reenter the U.S. after visits to Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands other than Cuba for under 30 days.
The new restrictions will be effective April 1, 2002.
Any nonimmigrant faculty, staff, student or scholar planning to visit Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands other than Cuba after April 1, 2002 should be aware of the following two provisions:
1. Automatic revalidation of nonimmigrant visas will no longer be available to individuals whose home countries have been identified as sponsoring terrorism. Currently, the designated countries are Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba.
2. Automatic visa revalidation will no longer be available to anyone who applies for but has not yet received a new U.S. entry visa in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands other than Cuba.  Those individuals must await a decision.  If they are denied, they must return to their home country to obtain a new visa.  If they are approved, they can reenter the U.S.  If they are awaiting a security check, they cannot reenter the U.S. under automatic visa revalidation unless their visa application is approved.
New travel and visa measures affecting certain nonimmigrants
1. A new namecheck clearance procedure has been implemented by the Department of State (DOS).
Effective November 13, 2001, certain nonimmigrant visa applicants will be subject to an additional namecheck clearance procedure before being issued a nonimmigrant visa. The namecheck clearance involves DOS sending the visa applicant's name to be checked against information in various databases. The Department of State expects the extra screening to take up to 20 additional business days.
DOS is treating the specifics of this program as classified, and as such has not made public details about the program's full scope or specifics. Sources indicate that the following individuals may be subject to this additional namecheck.
-
 Males (some women have been subject)
-
 Between the ages of 16 and 45
-
 From one of the following countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.  
Some reports suggest that citizens of Bangladesh, Turkey, and other countries appear to have been subjected to the namecheck as well.
The details of the program have not been confirmed by DOS. Other individual may be subject to these namechecks as well. Individuals who might be subject to the new namecheck clearance should carefully weigh the risks of travel if they plan on relying on the automatic revalidation of visa provision to reenter the United States.
2. Temporary suspension of third country national (TCN) nonimmigrant visa appointments in Mexico and Canada
On November 16, 2001, the Department of State temporarily suspended the online nonimmigrant visa appointment system and the 900 number appointment system for third country national (TCN) visa processing at posts in Mexico and Canada. On December 6, 2001, information became available that although DOS had resumed TCN scheduling, appointments made by individuals subject to the new namecheck requirement (described above) would be canceled, and the individual would be informed of the cancellation by telephone.  We recommend to individuals that schedule a TCN appointment in Canada or Mexico to wait at least 5 days before booking flights, to see whether the appointment will be canceled.
3. New DS-156 NIV application replaces OF-156 as of 11/30/01
The standard nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application form has been redesigned, and redesignated as Form DS-156. This new form (version date 08/2001) replaces Form OF-156, and must be used for all nonimmigrant visa applications (including stateside revalidation of H, L, O, P, E, or I visas) as of 11/30/01.
4. New Form DS-157
The Department of State announced the implementation of Form DS-157, a new supplement to Form DS-156. Form DS-157 must be completed and included with Form DS-156 (including stateside revalidation of H, L, O, P, E, or I visas) by all male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45. Consular officers have also been given the discretion to require the form to be completed by applicants outside this group, on a case-by-case basis.
Nonimmigrants who have expired or expiring H, L, O, P,  E, or I visas in their passports may want to consider applying for DOS revalidation of their visa in the United States, using the procedures outlined at http//travel.state.gov/revals.html. Although this option is only available to individuals who have already obtained an initial visa in those categories, having a new visa stamped in the passport before leaving the United States would certainly remove much uncertainty for those that qualify for this benefit. That procedure normally takes up to 6 weeks.