22 CFR 41.3 – Waiver by joint action of consular and immigration officers of passport and/or visa requirements
Under the authority of INA 212(d)(4), the documentary requirements of INA 212(a)(7)(B)(i)(I), (i)(II) may be waived for any alien in whose case the consular officer serving the port or place of embarkation, or the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services or his or her designee, is satisfied after consultation with, and concurrence by, the appropriate immigration officer, that the case falls within any of the following categories:
(a) Residents of foreign contiguous territory; visa and passport waiver. An alien residing in foreign contiguous territory who does not qualify for any waiver provided in § 41.1 and is a member of a visiting group or excursion proceeding to the United States under circumstances which make it impractical to procure a passport and visa in a timely manner.
(b) Aliens for whom passport extension facilities are unavailable; passport waiver. As alien whose passport is not valid for the period prescribed in INA 212(a)(7)(B)(i)(I) and who is embarking for the United States at a port or place remote from any establishment at which the passport could be revalidated.
(c) Aliens precluded from obtaining passport extensions by foreign government restrictions; passport waiver. An alien whose passport is not valid for the period prescribed in INA 212(a)(7)(B)(i)(I) and whose government, as a matter of policy, does not revalidate passports more than 6 months prior to expiration or until the passport expires.
(d) Emergent circumstances; visa waiver. An alien well and favorably known at the consular office, who was previously issued a nonimmigrant visa which has expired, and who is proceeding directly to the United States under emergent circumstances which preclude the timely issuance of a visa.
(e) Members of armed forces and coast guards of foreign countries; visa and passport waiver. An alien on active duty in the armed forces or coast guard of a foreign country and a member of a group of such armed forces or coast guard traveling to the United States, on behalf of the alien’s government or the United Nations, under arrangements made with the appropriate military authorities of the United States, coordinated within the U.S. Government by those U.S. military authorities, and approved by the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security for such visit.
(f) Landed immigrants in Canada; passport waiver. An alien applying for a visa at a consular office in Canada:
(1) Who is a landed immigrant in Canada;
(2) Whose port and date of expected arrival in the United States are known; and
(3) Who is proceeding to the United States under emergent circumstances which preclude the timely procurement of a passport or Canadian certificate of identity.
(g) Authorization to individual consular office; visa and/or passport waiver. An alien within the district of a consular office which has been authorized by the Department, because of unusual circumstances prevailing in that district, to join with immigration officers abroad in waivers of documentary requirements in specific categories of cases, and whose case falls within one of those categories.