Department of State
Immigration Resources
The U.S. Department of State, through its Embassies and Consulates abroad, issues millions of permanent and temporary visas each year to foreign-born persons who wish to live, study or visit the United States.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs is located within the Department of State’s management office. The mission of the Bureau is to administer laws, formulate regulations and implement policies relating to the broad range of consular services and immigration. It issues the monthly Visa Bulletin.
Consular officers overseas, under the guidance of the Bureau’s Office of Visa Services, are responsible for issuing all non-immigrant (temporary) and immigrant (permanent) visas. The Bureau of Consular Affairs also administers the provisions of the INA as they relate to the Department of State in coordination with USCIS and ICE within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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This page is divided into the following subtopics:
- Department of State
- Immigration Resources
- News and Reports
- U.S. Passports
- Human Rights
- Embassies and Consulates
- J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
- National Visa Center
Department of State
Immigration Resources
- Visa Bulletin (1995 – Present)
- Online Visa Status Check
- The Operation of the Immigrant Numerical Control System
- Visa Processing Fees (4-13-12)
- Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 9 – Visas
- Visas
- Visitor Visas
- Student and Exchange Visitor Visas
- Temporary Work Visas
- Visa Types for Immigrants
- Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas
- Visa Denials
- Visa Reciprocity
- Visa Policy Updates (2000 – Present)
- Visa News (Subscribe)
- Visa Wait Times (U.S. Embassies and Consulates Worldwide)
- A-Z Index (Bureau of Consular Affairs)
- Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
- Business Visa Center
- Business Visa Center: Frequently Asked Questions
- Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160)
- New DS-160: List of U.S. Embassies Using the Online Form
- Frequently Asked Questions for the Online DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application
- Education USA – Guide to U.S. Higher Education for International Students
- Foreign Affairs Manual, Handbooks & Regulations
News and Reports
- Public Inquiry Form for the U.S. Embassy in Montreal, Canada (1-1-13)
- U.S. Mission in India Expands Interview Waiver Program (11-19-12)
- State Department Revises Fee Schedule for Consular Services (4-13-12)
- Department of State Final Rule: Issuance of Full Validity L Visas to Qualified Applicants (2-14-12)
- Fact Sheet on Visa Pilot Program to Improve and Speed Processing of Certain Visas (1-19-12)
- Countries with Limited or No Visa Services
- Department of State Telephone Directory: Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts (5-2-11)
- Department of State Telephone Directory: Organizational Directory (5-2-11)
- Annual Report of Immigrant Visa Applicants Registered at the National Visa Center (11-15-10)
- Testimony of Charles Oppenheim, U.S. Department of State before the House of Representatives Immigration Subcommittee (6-6-07)
U.S. Passports
- U.S. Passport Card Application Now Available (1-23-12)
- U.S. Passport Fee Schedule
- Change or Correct Passport
- Passport Applications and Forms
- How to Get Your Passport in a Hurry
- Electronic Passports
- U.S. Passport Card
Human Rights
Embassies and Consulates
- Websites of U.S. Embassies and Consulates
- Foreign Embassies in Washington, DC
- Foreign Consular Offices in the U.S.
J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
- J Exchange Visitor Program
- Check the Status of Your J Waiver Application
- Exchange Visitor Skills List (2009)
National Visa Center