Visas: Documentation of Immigrants Under the Immigration and Nationality Act; Validity of Immigrant Visas

Status: In force. The effective date has passed and nothing here records a change to that.

From the published effective date. Nothing here records a court changing it.

• Document number: 97-13332
• Type: Final Rule
• Published: May 21, 1997
• Effective: October 1, 1997
• Agency: State Department; Bureau of Consular Affairs

Official abstract

On September 30, 1996, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) was amended to, inter alia, grant authority to the Secretary of State to extend the period of validity of an immigrant visa to six months from the date of issuance. The Secretary of State, hereby, exercises that authority and amends the Department's regulations accordingly.

Primary source

Read the full text on the Federal Register

This page is a structured index entry, not a substitute for reading the rule. This is not legal advice.

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Data updated October 2, 2026