On October 2, 2012, DHS designated Taiwan into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This streamlines travel for thousands of eligible Taiwan passport holders. The designation takes effect on November 1, 2012. more »

DHS announced on January 6, 2012, that they will issue new regulations for processing of unlawful presence waivers of the 3 and 10 year bar to re-entry for certain immediate relatives of US citizens who wish to file immigrant visa applications (green card applications) abroad. more »

The questions and answers below contain a summary of the US Department of State Q and A on the removal of the HIV Travel Ban, i.e., the change in law made by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removing HIV infection from the list of communicable diseases of public health significance. The lifting of the HIV Travel Ban means that HIV+ individuals will no longer be inadmissible for admission to the United States solely based on their HIV status. more »

On January 04, 2010, the HIV Travel Ban prohibiting HIV positive individuals from visiting, working or living in the United States ended.

HIV+ positive individuals will no longer be inadmissible to the US solely based on HIV status. The US is therefore no longer on the list of a dozen countries (Armenia, Brunei, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sudan) that deny or restrict entry based on HIV status.

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The new revised 2009 J-1 Skills List, effective June 28, 2009, removes several countries (see below) from the J-1 Skills List. This may significantly impact some who have held J-1 visas. more »

A proposed HHS-CDC Rule seeks to lift the HIV Travel Ban by removing HIV infection from the List of Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance. The Proposed Rule will be published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2009. It will eliminate HIV from the List of Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance. In addition, it will remove the HIV testing requirement from required medical examinations. more »

In the next few days, we expect the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to publish in the Federal Register a new proposed rule to eliminate the HIV Travel Ban, which currently places heavy restrictions on HIV positive persons who wish to enter and/or reside permanently in the US. Once the US lifts the HIV Travel Ban, HIV positive individuals will no longer be inadmissible. more »

The US Department of State has revised the J-1 Skills List. The 2009 Revised J-1 Skills List will become effective June 28, 2009. (See also 1997 J-1 Skills List, as amended.) The J-1 Skills List is a list of specialized knowledge and skills deemed necessary for the development of a J-1 Visa holder’s home country. US Consular Officers use the J-1 Skills List to determine whether a particular J-1 visa applicant is subject to the two year J-1 Home Residence Requirement under INA § 212(e). more »