Member Article

Department of State: * U.S. Consulate Ciudad Juarez, Mexico will no longer process Third Country National visa applications as of November 1, 2002. Only residents of the consular district and Third Country Nationals with FM2/3 visas will be allowed to apply. * DOS non-immigrant visa application fee will increase to $100.00 effective November 1, 2002. * Over 7 million new names have been added to the National Crime Information Center database, which is utilized by DOS consular posts to screen visa applicants for arrests/criminal record. Minor convictions such as DUI and shoplifting are now resulting in name “hits.” Consular posts are now required to obtain fingerprints along with an $85.00 fee from applicants with a name-check hit. * DOS terminated the twenty-day hold procedure for certain nonimmigrant visa applications. DOS indicated the hold period is no longer necessary due to improved interagency data sharing and the implementation of additional clearance procedures.