US and China Agree to Issue Longer-Term Visas for Visitors and Students

The Department of State announced earlier today that starting November 12, 2014, the U.S. and PR China have agreed to start issuing longer-term visas for visitors and students.     Chinese nationals who qualify for a B-category nonimmigrant visa (NIV) may now be issued multiple-entry visas for up to 10 years for business and travel. Qualified Chinese students and exchange visitors and their dependents who qualify for F, M, or J-category visas are now eligible for multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years or the length of their program.   This announcement would provide great relief to the increasing number of Chinese visitors and students in the United States who, under the current regime, are issued single-entry and/or one-year visas to the United States.

Fees and Process for Obtaining U.S. Visas Remains Unchanged

The eligibility, process and the fees for obtaining a U.S. visitor or student visa remain unchanged as a result of this announcement.    The basic visa fee remains $160 and includes passport delivery.   More information on the process, steps and fee payment can be obtained at www.ustraveldocs.com.   The changes are expected to be very popular among Chinese nationals and higher visa application load is expected with a possibility of increased visa processing times.    As it is always the case with U.S. visa stamp applications, proper advance planning is strongly recommended.

Longer Visa Validity Does Not Mean Longer Authorized Stay in the United States

It should be noted specifically that because a U.S. visa stamp has longer validity, it does NOT mean that its holder will be allowed to stay in the United States for longer period.

There is an important distinction between a U.S. visa stamp and authorized stay in the U.S.     A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port of entry where a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will grant admission.   In doing so, the officer will inform the traveler of the permitted length of stay (expiration should be noted in the passport).   The current change in visa validity does NOT change the permitted duration of stay for any visa class.  Remaining in the United States beyond the allowed duration of stay can result in a violation of U.S. immigration laws and may cause ban on entering the United States in the future.

Conclusion

We welcome these rules seeking to make it easier for Chinese nationals to travel to the United States.   The reciprocal rules would also help U.S. passport holders to obtain longer visas to visit China.

We will continue to monitor developments on this topic and provide updates.    Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance or answer any questions.  We also invite you to subscribe to our free weekly immigration newsletter to receive timely updates on this and related topics.