To authorize amounts collected in certain visa fees to be made available to reduce visa wait times, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · February 6, 2024
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The VISITOR Act authorizes the State Department to use visa fees and surcharges collected from applicants to fund consular services and reduce visa processing wait times. Specifically, the bill allows the department to redirect passport surcharges, immigrant visa surcharges, and fraud prevention fees toward staffing and operations at consulates and embassies. The legislation sets a goal of interviewing 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants within three weeks of application, though the State Department may make exceptions based on security concerns and resource limitations. The bill also permits the State Department to transfer unused fee balances between accounts to support consular operations when necessary. This legislation primarily affects foreign nationals applying for U.S. visas and the tourism and business sectors that depend on visa processing efficiency.
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