Authorizing legislation - PHSA

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

§ 1182

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1965 AMENDMENT
For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 89–236,
see section 20 of Pub. L. 89–236, set out as a note under
section 1151 of this title.
ABOLITION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
SERVICE AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization
Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related
references, see note set out under section 1551 of this
title.

§ 1182. Inadmissible aliens
(a) Classes of aliens ineligible for visas or admission
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter,
aliens who are inadmissible under the following
paragraphs are ineligible to receive visas and ineligible to be admitted to the United States:
(1) Health-related grounds
(A) In general
Any alien—
(i) who is determined (in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to
have a communicable disease of public
health significance; 1
(ii) except as provided in subparagraph
(C), who seeks admission as an immigrant,
or who seeks adjustment of status to the
status of an alien lawfully admitted for
permanent residence, and who has failed to
present documentation of having received
vaccination against vaccine-preventable
diseases, which shall include at least the
following diseases: mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids,
pertussis, influenza type B and hepatitis B,
and any other vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases recommended by
the Advisory Committee for Immunization
Practices,
(iii) who is determined (in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in
consultation with the Attorney General)—
(I) to have a physical or mental disorder and behavior associated with the
disorder that may pose, or has posed, a
threat to the property, safety, or welfare
of the alien or others, or
(II) to have had a physical or mental
disorder and a history of behavior associated with the disorder, which behavior
has posed a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the alien or others and
which behavior is likely to recur or to
lead to other harmful behavior, or
(iv) who is determined (in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to
be a drug abuser or addict,
is inadmissible.
(B) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of certain clauses of subparagraph (A), see subsection (g) of this section.
1 So

in original. The semicolon probably should be a comma.

Page 122

(C) Exception from immunization requirement for adopted children 10 years of age
or younger
Clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall not
apply to a child who—
(i) is 10 years of age or younger,
(ii) is described in subparagraph (F) or
(G) of section 1101(b)(1) of this title; 1 and
(iii) is seeking an immigrant visa as an
immediate relative under section 1151(b) of
this title,
if, prior to the admission of the child, an
adoptive parent or prospective adoptive parent of the child, who has sponsored the child
for admission as an immediate relative, has
executed an affidavit stating that the parent
is aware of the provisions of subparagraph
(A)(ii) and will ensure that, within 30 days of
the child’s admission, or at the earliest time
that is medically appropriate, the child will
receive the vaccinations identified in such
subparagraph.
(2) Criminal and related grounds
(A) Conviction of certain crimes
(i) In general
Except as provided in clause (ii), any
alien convicted of, or who admits having
committed, or who admits committing
acts which constitute the essential elements of—
(I) a crime involving moral turpitude
(other than a purely political offense) or
an attempt or conspiracy to commit
such a crime, or
(II) a violation of (or a conspiracy or
attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a
foreign country relating to a controlled
substance (as defined in section 802 of
title 21),
is inadmissible.
(ii) Exception
Clause (i)(I) shall not apply to an alien
who committed only one crime if—
(I) the crime was committed when the
alien was under 18 years of age, and the
crime was committed (and the alien released from any confinement to a prison
or correctional institution imposed for
the crime) more than 5 years before the
date of application for a visa or other
documentation and the date of application for admission to the United States,
or
(II) the maximum penalty possible for
the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the alien admits having
committed or of which the acts that the
alien admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not
exceed imprisonment for one year and, if
the alien was convicted of such crime,
the alien was not sentenced to a term of
imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent to which the sentence was ultimately executed).
(B) Multiple criminal convictions
Any alien convicted of 2 or more offenses
(other than purely political offenses), re-

Page 123

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

gardless of whether the conviction was in a
single trial or whether the offenses arose
from a single scheme of misconduct and regardless of whether the offenses involved
moral turpitude, for which the aggregate
sentences to confinement were 5 years or
more is inadmissible.
(C) Controlled substance traffickers
Any alien who the consular officer or the
Attorney General knows or has reason to believe—
(i) is or has been an illicit trafficker in
any controlled substance or in any listed
chemical (as defined in section 802 of title
21), or is or has been a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or colluder with
others in the illicit trafficking in any such
controlled or listed substance or chemical,
or endeavored to do so; or
(ii) is the spouse, son, or daughter of an
alien inadmissible under clause (i), has,
within the previous 5 years, obtained any
financial or other benefit from the illicit
activity of that alien, and knew or reasonably should have known that the financial
or other benefit was the product of such illicit activity,
is inadmissible.
(D) Prostitution and commercialized vice
Any alien who—
(i) is coming to the United States solely,
principally, or incidentally to engage in
prostitution, or has engaged in prostitution within 10 years of the date of application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of
status,
(ii) directly or indirectly procures or attempts to procure, or (within 10 years of
the date of application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status) procured or
attempted to procure or to import, prostitutes or persons for the purpose of prostitution, or receives or (within such 10year period) received, in whole or in part,
the proceeds of prostitution, or
(iii) is coming to the United States to
engage in any other unlawful commercialized vice, whether or not related to
prostitution,
is inadmissible.
(E) Certain aliens involved in serious criminal activity who have asserted immunity
from prosecution
Any alien—
(i) who has committed in the United
States at any time a serious criminal offense (as defined in section 1101(h) of this
title),
(ii) for whom immunity from criminal
jurisdiction was exercised with respect to
that offense,
(iii) who as a consequence of the offense
and exercise of immunity has departed
from the United States, and
(iv) who has not subsequently submitted
fully to the jurisdiction of the court in the
United States having jurisdiction with respect to that offense,

§ 1182

is inadmissible.
(F) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of certain subparagraphs of this paragraph, see
subsection (h) of this section.
(G) Foreign government officials who have
committed particularly severe violations
of religious freedom
Any alien who, while serving as a foreign
government official, was responsible for or
directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom,
as defined in section 6402 of title 22, is inadmissible.
(H) Significant traffickers in persons
(i) In general
Any alien who commits or conspires to
commit human trafficking offenses in the
United States or outside the United
States, or who the consular officer, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, or the Attorney General
knows or has reason to believe is or has
been a knowing aider, abettor, assister,
conspirator, or colluder with such a trafficker in severe forms of trafficking in persons, as defined in the section 7102 of title
22, is inadmissible.
(ii) Beneficiaries of trafficking
Except as provided in clause (iii), any
alien who the consular officer or the Attorney General knows or has reason to believe is the spouse, son, or daughter of an
alien inadmissible under clause (i), has,
within the previous 5 years, obtained any
financial or other benefit from the illicit
activity of that alien, and knew or reasonably should have known that the financial
or other benefit was the product of such illicit activity, is inadmissible.
(iii) Exception for certain sons and daughters
Clause (ii) shall not apply to a son or
daughter who was a child at the time he or
she received the benefit described in such
clause.
(I) Money laundering
Any alien—
(i) who a consular officer or the Attorney
General knows, or has reason to believe,
has engaged, is engaging, or seeks to enter
the United States to engage, in an offense
which is described in section 1956 or 1957 of
title 18 (relating to laundering of monetary instruments); or
(ii) who a consular officer or the Attorney General knows is, or has been, a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or
colluder with others in an offense which is
described in such section;
is inadmissible.
(3) Security and related grounds
(A) In general
Any alien who a consular officer or the Attorney General knows, or has reasonable

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

ground to believe, seeks to enter the United
States to engage solely, principally, or incidentally in—
(i) any activity (I) to violate any law of
the United States relating to espionage or
sabotage or (II) to violate or evade any law
prohibiting the export from the United
States of goods, technology, or sensitive
information,
(ii) any other unlawful activity, or
(iii) any activity a purpose of which is
the opposition to, or the control or overthrow of, the Government of the United
States by force, violence, or other unlawful means,
is inadmissible.
(B) Terrorist activities
(i) In general
Any alien who—
(I) has engaged in a terrorist activity;
(II) a consular officer, the Attorney
General, or the Secretary of Homeland
Security knows, or has reasonable
ground to believe, is engaged in or is
likely to engage after entry in any terrorist activity (as defined in clause (iv));
(III) has, under circumstances indicating an intention to cause death or serious bodily harm, incited terrorist activity;
(IV) is a representative (as defined in
clause (v)) of—
(aa) a terrorist organization (as defined in clause (vi)); or
(bb) a political, social, or other group
that endorses or espouses terrorist activity;
(V) is a member of a terrorist organization described in subclause (I) or (II) of
clause (vi);
(VI) is a member of a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(III), unless
the alien can demonstrate by clear and
convincing evidence that the alien did
not know, and should not reasonably
have known, that the organization was a
terrorist organization;
(VII) endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or
espouse terrorist activity or support a
terrorist organization;
(VIII) has received military-type training (as defined in section 2339D(c)(1) of
title 18) from or on behalf of any organization that, at the time the training was
received, was a terrorist organization (as
defined in clause (vi)); or
(IX) is the spouse or child of an alien
who is inadmissible under this subparagraph, if the activity causing the alien
to be found inadmissible occurred within
the last 5 years,
is inadmissible. An alien who is an officer,
official, representative, or spokesman of
the Palestine Liberation Organization is
considered, for purposes of this chapter, to
be engaged in a terrorist activity.
(ii) Exception
Subclause (IX) of clause (i) does not
apply to a spouse or child—

Page 124

(I) who did not know or should not reasonably have known of the activity causing the alien to be found inadmissible
under this section; or
(II) whom the consular officer or Attorney General has reasonable grounds
to believe has renounced the activity
causing the alien to be found inadmissible under this section.
(iii) ‘‘Terrorist activity’’ defined
As used in this chapter, the term ‘‘terrorist activity’’ means any activity which
is unlawful under the laws of the place
where it is committed (or which, if it had
been committed in the United States,
would be unlawful under the laws of the
United States or any State) and which involves any of the following:
(I) The highjacking or sabotage of any
conveyance (including an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle).
(II) The seizing or detaining, and
threatening to kill, injure, or continue
to detain, another individual in order to
compel a third person (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain
from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the individual seized or detained.
(III) A violent attack upon an internationally protected person (as defined
in section 1116(b)(4) of title 18) or upon
the liberty of such a person.
(IV) An assassination.
(V) The use of any—
(a) biological agent, chemical agent,
or nuclear weapon or device, or
(b) explosive, firearm, or other weapon or dangerous device (other than for
mere personal monetary gain),
with intent to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals or to cause substantial damage to
property.
(VI) A threat, attempt, or conspiracy
to do any of the foregoing.
(iv) ‘‘Engage in terrorist activity’’ defined
As used in this chapter, the term ‘‘engage in terrorist activity’’ means, in an individual capacity or as a member of an organization—
(I) to commit or to incite to commit,
under circumstances indicating an intention to cause death or serious bodily injury, a terrorist activity;
(II) to prepare or plan a terrorist activity;
(III) to gather information on potential targets for terrorist activity;
(IV) to solicit funds or other things of
value for—
(aa) a terrorist activity;
(bb) a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(I) or (vi)(II); or
(cc) a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(III), unless the
solicitor can demonstrate by clear and
convincing evidence that he did not
know, and should not reasonably have

Page 125

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
known, that the organization was a
terrorist organization;
(V) to solicit any individual—
(aa) to engage in conduct otherwise
described in this subsection;
(bb) for membership in a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(I) or
(vi)(II); or
(cc) for membership in a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(III)
unless the solicitor can demonstrate
by clear and convincing evidence that
he did not know, and should not reasonably have known, that the organization was a terrorist organization; or

(VI) to commit an act that the actor
knows, or reasonably should know, affords material support, including a safe
house, transportation, communications,
funds, transfer of funds or other material
financial benefit, false documentation or
identification, weapons (including chemical, biological, or radiological weapons),
explosives, or training—
(aa) for the commission of a terrorist
activity;
(bb) to any individual who the actor
knows, or reasonably should know, has
committed or plans to commit a terrorist activity;
(cc) to a terrorist organization described in subclause (I) or (II) of clause
(vi) or to any member of such an organization; or
(dd) to a terrorist organization described in clause (vi)(III), or to any
member of such an organization, unless the actor can demonstrate by clear
and convincing evidence that the actor
did not know, and should not reasonably have known, that the organization was a terrorist organization.
(v) ‘‘Representative’’ defined
As used in this paragraph, the term ‘‘representative’’ includes an officer, official,
or spokesman of an organization, and any
person who directs, counsels, commands,
or induces an organization or its members
to engage in terrorist activity.
(vi) ‘‘Terrorist organization’’ defined
As used in this section, the term ‘‘terrorist organization’’ means an organization—
(I) designated under section 1189 of this
title;
(II) otherwise designated, upon publication in the Federal Register, by the
Secretary of State in consultation with
or upon the request of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as a terrorist organization, after
finding that the organization engages in
the activities described in subclauses (I)
through (VI) of clause (iv); or
(III) that is a group of two or more individuals, whether organized or not,
which engages in, or has a subgroup
which engages in, the activities described in subclauses (I) through (VI) of
clause (iv).

§ 1182

(C) Foreign policy
(i) In general
An alien whose entry or proposed activities in the United States the Secretary of
State has reasonable ground to believe
would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United
States is inadmissible.
(ii) Exception for officials
An alien who is an official of a foreign
government or a purported government, or
who is a candidate for election to a foreign
government office during the period immediately preceding the election for that office, shall not be excludable or subject to
restrictions or conditions on entry into
the United States under clause (i) solely
because of the alien’s past, current, or expected beliefs, statements, or associations,
if such beliefs, statements, or associations
would be lawful within the United States.
(iii) Exception for other aliens
An alien, not described in clause (ii),
shall not be excludable or subject to restrictions or conditions on entry into the
United States under clause (i) because of
the alien’s past, current, or expected beliefs, statements, or associations, if such
beliefs, statements, or associations would
be lawful within the United States, unless
the Secretary of State personally determines that the alien’s admission would
compromise a compelling United States
foreign policy interest.
(iv) Notification of determinations
If a determination is made under clause
(iii) with respect to an alien, the Secretary
of State must notify on a timely basis the
chairmen of the Committees on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and of the Committees on
the Judiciary and Foreign Relations of the
Senate of the identity of the alien and the
reasons for the determination.
(D) Immigrant membership in totalitarian
party
(i) In general
Any immigrant who is or has been a
member of or affiliated with the Communist or any other totalitarian party (or
subdivision or affiliate thereof), domestic
or foreign, is inadmissible.
(ii) Exception for involuntary membership
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien because of membership or affiliation if the
alien establishes to the satisfaction of the
consular officer when applying for a visa
(or to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General when applying for admission) that
the membership or affiliation is or was involuntary, or is or was solely when under
16 years of age, by operation of law, or for
purposes of obtaining employment, food
rations, or other essentials of living and
whether necessary for such purposes.
(iii) Exception for past membership
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien because of membership or affiliation if the

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
alien establishes to the satisfaction of the
consular officer when applying for a visa
(or to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General when applying for admission)
that—
(I) the membership or affiliation terminated at least—
(a) 2 years before the date of such application, or
(b) 5 years before the date of such application, in the case of an alien whose
membership or affiliation was with the
party controlling the government of a
foreign state that is a totalitarian dictatorship as of such date, and

(II) the alien is not a threat to the security of the United States.
(iv) Exception for close family members
The Attorney General may, in the Attorney General’s discretion, waive the application of clause (i) in the case of an immigrant who is the parent, spouse, son,
daughter, brother, or sister of a citizen of
the United States or a spouse, son, or
daughter of an alien lawfully admitted for
permanent residence for humanitarian
purposes, to assure family unity, or when
it is otherwise in the public interest if the
immigrant is not a threat to the security
of the United States.
(E) Participants in Nazi persecution, genocide, or the commission of any act of torture or extrajudicial killing
(i) Participation in Nazi persecutions
Any alien who, during the period beginning on March 23, 1933, and ending on May
8, 1945, under the direction of, or in association with—
(I) the Nazi government of Germany,
(II) any government in any area occupied by the military forces of the Nazi
government of Germany,
(III) any government established with
the assistance or cooperation of the Nazi
government of Germany, or
(IV) any government which was an ally
of the Nazi government of Germany,
ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise
participated in the persecution of any person because of race, religion, national origin, or political opinion is inadmissible.
(ii) Participation in genocide
Any alien who ordered, incited, assisted,
or otherwise participated in genocide, as
defined in section 1091(a) of title 18, is inadmissible.
(iii) Commission of acts of torture or extrajudicial killings
Any alien who, outside the United
States, has committed, ordered, incited,
assisted, or otherwise participated in the
commission of—
(I) any act of torture, as defined in section 2340 of title 18; or
(II) under color of law of any foreign
nation, any extrajudicial killing, as defined in section 3(a) of the Torture Vic-

Page 126

tim Protection Act of 1991 (28 U.S.C. 1350
note),
is inadmissible.
(F) Association with terrorist organizations
Any alien who the Secretary of State,
after consultation with the Attorney General, or the Attorney General, after consultation with the Secretary of State, determines has been associated with a terrorist
organization and intends while in the United
States to engage solely, principally, or incidentally in activities that could endanger
the welfare, safety, or security of the United
States is inadmissible.
(G) Recruitment or use of child soldiers
Any alien who has engaged in the recruitment or use of child soldiers in violation of
section 2442 of title 18 is inadmissible.
(4) Public charge
(A) In general
Any alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a
visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the time of application for admission
or adjustment of status, is likely at any
time to become a public charge is inadmissible.
(B) Factors to be taken into account
(i) In determining whether an alien is inadmissible under this paragraph, the consular officer or the Attorney General shall
at a minimum consider the alien’s—
(I) age;
(II) health;
(III) family status;
(IV) assets, resources, and financial
status; and
(V) education and skills.
(ii) In addition to the factors under clause
(i), the consular officer or the Attorney General may also consider any affidavit of support under section 1183a of this title for purposes of exclusion under this paragraph.
(C) Family-sponsored immigrants
Any alien who seeks admission or adjustment of status under a visa number issued
under section 1151(b)(2) or 1153(a) of this title
is inadmissible under this paragraph unless—
(i) the alien has obtained—
(I) status as a spouse or a child of a
United States citizen pursuant to clause
(ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 1154(a)(1)(A) of
this title;
(II) classification pursuant to clause
(ii) or (iii) of section 1154(a)(1)(B) of this
title; or
(III) classification or status as a VAWA
self-petitioner; or
(ii) the person petitioning for the alien’s
admission (and any additional sponsor required under section 1183a(f) of this title or
any alternative sponsor permitted under
paragraph (5)(B) of such section) has executed an affidavit of support described in
section 1183a of this title with respect to
such alien.

Page 127

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

(D) Certain employment-based immigrants
Any alien who seeks admission or adjustment of status under a visa number issued
under section 1153(b) of this title by virtue of
a classification petition filed by a relative of
the alien (or by an entity in which such relative has a significant ownership interest) is
inadmissible under this paragraph unless
such relative has executed an affidavit of
support described in section 1183a of this
title with respect to such alien.
(5) Labor certification and qualifications for
certain immigrants
(A) Labor certification
(i) In general
Any alien who seeks to enter the United
States for the purpose of performing
skilled or unskilled labor is inadmissible,
unless the Secretary of Labor has determined and certified to the Secretary of
State and the Attorney General that—
(I) there are not sufficient workers who
are able, willing, qualified (or equally
qualified in the case of an alien described
in clause (ii)) and available at the time
of application for a visa and admission
to the United States and at the place
where the alien is to perform such
skilled or unskilled labor, and
(II) the employment of such alien will
not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers in the United
States similarly employed.
(ii) Certain aliens subject to special rule
For purposes of clause (i)(I), an alien described in this clause is an alien who—
(I) is a member of the teaching profession, or
(II) has exceptional ability in the sciences or the arts.
(iii) Professional athletes
(I) In general
A certification made under clause (i)
with respect to a professional athlete
shall remain valid with respect to the
athlete after the athlete changes employer, if the new employer is a team in
the same sport as the team which employed the athlete when the athlete first
applied for the certification.
(II) ‘‘Professional athlete’’ defined
For purposes of subclause (I), the term
‘‘professional athlete’’ means an individual who is employed as an athlete by—
(aa) a team that is a member of an
association of 6 or more professional
sports teams whose total combined
revenues exceed $10,000,000 per year, if
the association governs the conduct of
its members and regulates the contests
and exhibitions in which its member
teams regularly engage; or
(bb) any minor league team that is
affiliated with such an association.
(iv) Long delayed adjustment applicants
A certification made under clause (i)
with respect to an individual whose peti-

§ 1182

tion is covered by section 1154(j) of this
title shall remain valid with respect to a
new job accepted by the individual after
the individual changes jobs or employers if
the new job is in the same or a similar occupational classification as the job for
which the certification was issued.
(B) Unqualified physicians
An alien who is a graduate of a medical
school not accredited by a body or bodies approved for the purpose by the Secretary of
Education (regardless of whether such
school of medicine is in the United States)
and who is coming to the United States principally to perform services as a member of
the medical profession is inadmissible, unless the alien (i) has passed parts I and II of
the National Board of Medical Examiners
Examination (or an equivalent examination
as determined by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services) and (ii) is competent in
oral and written English. For purposes of the
previous sentence, an alien who is a graduate of a medical school shall be considered
to have passed parts I and II of the National
Board of Medical Examiners if the alien was
fully and permanently licensed to practice
medicine in a State on January 9, 1978, and
was practicing medicine in a State on that
date.
(C) Uncertified foreign health-care workers
Subject to subsection (r) of this section,
any alien who seeks to enter the United
States for the purpose of performing labor as
a health-care worker, other than a physician, is inadmissible unless the alien presents to the consular officer, or, in the case
of an adjustment of status, the Attorney
General, a certificate from the Commission
on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, or
a certificate from an equivalent independent
credentialing organization approved by the
Attorney General in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services,
verifying that—
(i) the alien’s education, training, license, and experience—
(I) meet all applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements for entry into
the United States under the classification specified in the application;
(II) are comparable with that required
for an American health-care worker of
the same type; and
(III) are authentic and, in the case of a
license, unencumbered;
(ii) the alien has the level of competence
in oral and written English considered by
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of
Education, to be appropriate for health
care work of the kind in which the alien
will be engaged, as shown by an appropriate score on one or more nationally recognized, commercially available, standardized assessments of the applicant’s ability
to speak and write; and
(iii) if a majority of States licensing the
profession in which the alien intends to

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
work recognize a test predicting the success on the profession’s licensing or certification examination, the alien has
passed such a test or has passed such an
examination.

For purposes of clause (ii), determination of
the standardized tests required and of the
minimum scores that are appropriate are
within the sole discretion of the Secretary of
Health and Human Services and are not subject to further administrative or judicial review.
(D) Application of grounds
The grounds for inadmissibility of aliens
under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall apply
to immigrants seeking admission or adjustment of status under paragraph (2) or (3) of
section 1153(b) of this title.
(6) Illegal entrants and immigration violators
(A) Aliens present without admission or parole
(i) In general
An alien present in the United States
without being admitted or paroled, or who
arrives in the United States at any time or
place other than as designated by the Attorney General, is inadmissible.
(ii) Exception for certain battered women
and children
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien who
demonstrates that—
(I) the alien is a VAWA self-petitioner;
(II)(a) the alien has been battered or
subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse
or parent, or by a member of the spouse’s
or parent’s family residing in the same
household as the alien and the spouse or
parent consented or acquiesced to such
battery or cruelty, or (b) the alien’s
child has been battered or subjected to
extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent of
the alien (without the active participation of the alien in the battery or cruelty) or by a member of the spouse’s or
parent’s family residing in the same
household as the alien when the spouse
or parent consented to or acquiesced in
such battery or cruelty and the alien did
not actively participate in such battery
or cruelty, and
(III) there was a substantial connection between the battery or cruelty described in subclause (I) or (II) and the
alien’s unlawful entry into the United
States.
(B) Failure to attend removal proceeding
Any alien who without reasonable cause
fails or refuses to attend or remain in attendance at a proceeding to determine the
alien’s inadmissibility or deportability and
who seeks admission to the United States
within 5 years of such alien’s subsequent departure or removal is inadmissible.
(C) Misrepresentation
(i) In general
Any alien who, by fraud or willfully misrepresenting a material fact, seeks to pro-

Page 128

cure (or has sought to procure or has procured) a visa, other documentation, or admission into the United States or other
benefit provided under this chapter is inadmissible.
(ii) Falsely claiming citizenship
(I) In general
Any alien who falsely represents, or
has falsely represented, himself or herself to be a citizen of the United States
for any purpose or benefit under this
chapter (including section 1324a of this
title) or any other Federal or State law
is inadmissible.
(II) Exception
In the case of an alien making a representation described in subclause (I), if
each natural parent of the alien (or, in
the case of an adopted alien, each adoptive parent of the alien) is or was a citizen (whether by birth or naturalization),
the alien permanently resided in the
United States prior to attaining the age
of 16, and the alien reasonably believed
at the time of making such representation that he or she was a citizen, the
alien shall not be considered to be inadmissible under any provision of this subsection based on such representation.
(iii) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i), see subsection (i) of this section.
(D) Stowaways
Any alien who is a stowaway is inadmissible.
(E) Smugglers
(i) In general
Any alien who at any time knowingly
has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted,
or aided any other alien to enter or to try
to enter the United States in violation of
law is inadmissible.
(ii) Special rule in the case of family reunification
Clause (i) shall not apply in the case of
alien who is an eligible immigrant (as defined in section 301(b)(1) of the Immigration Act of 1990), was physically present in
the United States on May 5, 1988, and is
seeking admission as an immediate relative or under section 1153(a)(2) of this
title (including under section 112 of the
Immigration Act of 1990) or benefits under
section 301(a) of the Immigration Act of
1990 if the alien, before May 5, 1988, has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or
aided only the alien’s spouse, parent, son,
or daughter (and no other individual) to
enter the United States in violation of law.
(iii) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i), see subsection (d)(11) of this section.

Page 129

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

(F) Subject of civil penalty
(i) In general
An alien who is the subject of a final
order for violation of section 1324c of this
title is inadmissible.
(ii) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i), see subsection (d)(12) of this section.
(G) Student visa abusers
An alien who obtains the status of a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(F)(i) of
this title and who violates a term or condition of such status under section 1184(l) 2 of
this title is inadmissible until the alien has
been outside the United States for a continuous period of 5 years after the date of the
violation.
(7) Documentation requirements
(A) Immigrants
(i) In general
Except as otherwise specifically provided
in this chapter, any immigrant at the time
of application for admission—
(I) who is not in possession of a valid
unexpired immigrant visa, reentry permit, border crossing identification card,
or other valid entry document required
by this chapter, and a valid unexpired
passport, or other suitable travel document, or document of identity and nationality if such document is required
under the regulations issued by the Attorney General under section 1181(a) of
this title, or
(II) whose visa has been issued without
compliance with the provisions of section 1153 of this title,
is inadmissible.
(ii) Waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i), see subsection (k) of this section.
(B) Nonimmigrants
(i) In general
Any nonimmigrant who—
(I) is not in possession of a passport
valid for a minimum of six months from
the date of the expiration of the initial
period of the alien’s admission or contemplated initial period of stay authorizing the alien to return to the country
from which the alien came or to proceed
to and enter some other country during
such period, or
(II) is not in possession of a valid nonimmigrant visa or border crossing identification card at the time of application
for admission,
is inadmissible.
(ii) General waiver authorized
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i), see subsection (d)(4) of this section.
2 See

References in Text note below.

§ 1182

(iii) Guam and Northern Mariana Islands
visa waiver
For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i) in the case of visitors to Guam
or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, see subsection (l).
(iv) Visa waiver program
For authority to waive the requirement
of clause (i) under a program, see section
1187 of this title.
(8) Ineligible for citizenship
(A) In general
Any immigrant who is permanently ineligible to citizenship is inadmissible.
(B) Draft evaders
Any person who has departed from or who
has remained outside the United States to
avoid or evade training or service in the
armed forces in time of war or a period declared by the President to be a national
emergency is inadmissible, except that this
subparagraph shall not apply to an alien who
at the time of such departure was a nonimmigrant and who is seeking to reenter the
United States as a nonimmigrant.
(9) Aliens previously removed
(A) Certain aliens previously removed
(i) Arriving aliens
Any alien who has been ordered removed
under section 1225(b)(1) of this title or at
the end of proceedings under section 1229a
of this title initiated upon the alien’s arrival in the United States and who again
seeks admission within 5 years of the date
of such removal (or within 20 years in the
case of a second or subsequent removal or
at any time in the case of an alien convicted of an aggravated felony) is inadmissible.
(ii) Other aliens
Any alien not described in clause (i)
who—
(I) has been ordered removed under
section 1229a of this title or any other
provision of law, or
(II) departed the United States while
an order of removal was outstanding,
and who seeks admission within 10 years of
the date of such alien’s departure or removal (or within 20 years of such date in
the case of a second or subsequent removal
or at any time in the case of an alien convicted of an aggravated felony) is inadmissible.
(iii) Exception
Clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to an
alien seeking admission within a period if,
prior to the date of the alien’s reembarkation at a place outside the United States
or attempt to be admitted from foreign
contiguous territory, the Attorney General has consented to the alien’s reapplying for admission.
(B) Aliens unlawfully present
(i) In general
Any alien (other than an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence) who—

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
(I) was unlawfully present in the
United States for a period of more than
180 days but less than 1 year, voluntarily
departed the United States (whether or
not pursuant to section 1254a(e) 3 of this
title) prior to the commencement of proceedings under section 1225(b)(1) of this
title or section 1229a of this title, and
again seeks admission within 3 years of
the date of such alien’s departure or removal, or
(II) has been unlawfully present in the
United States for one year or more, and
who again seeks admission within 10
years of the date of such alien’s departure or removal from the United States,
is inadmissible.
(ii) Construction of unlawful presence
For purposes of this paragraph, an alien
is deemed to be unlawfully present in the
United States if the alien is present in the
United States after the expiration of the
period of stay authorized by the Attorney
General or is present in the United States
without being admitted or paroled.
(iii) Exceptions
(I) Minors
No period of time in which an alien is
under 18 years of age shall be taken into
account in determining the period of unlawful presence in the United States
under clause (i).
(II) Asylees
No period of time in which an alien has
a bona fide application for asylum pending under section 1158 of this title shall
be taken into account in determining
the period of unlawful presence in the
United States under clause (i) unless the
alien during such period was employed
without authorization in the United
States.
(III) Family unity
No period of time in which the alien is
a beneficiary of family unity protection
pursuant to section 301 of the Immigration Act of 1990 shall be taken into account in determining the period of unlawful presence in the United States
under clause (i).
(IV) Battered women and children
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien
who would be described in paragraph
(6)(A)(ii) if ‘‘violation of the terms of the
alien’s nonimmigrant visa’’ were substituted for ‘‘unlawful entry into the
United States’’ in subclause (III) of that
paragraph.
(V) Victims of a severe form of trafficking
in persons
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien
who demonstrates that the severe form
of trafficking (as that term is defined in

3 So in original. Probably should be a reference to section 1229c
of this title.

Page 130

section 7102 of title 22) was at least one
central reason for the alien’s unlawful
presence in the United States.
(iv) Tolling for good cause
In the case of an alien who—
(I) has been lawfully admitted or paroled into the United States,
(II) has filed a nonfrivolous application
for a change or extension of status before
the date of expiration of the period of
stay authorized by the Attorney General, and
(III) has not been employed without
authorization in the United States before or during the pendency of such application,
the calculation of the period of time specified in clause (i)(I) shall be tolled during
the pendency of such application, but not
to exceed 120 days.
(v) Waiver
The Attorney General has sole discretion
to waive clause (i) in the case of an immigrant who is the spouse or son or daughter
of a United States citizen or of an alien
lawfully admitted for permanent residence, if it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the refusal of admission to such immigrant alien
would result in extreme hardship to the
citizen or lawfully resident spouse or parent of such alien. No court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision or action by
the Attorney General regarding a waiver
under this clause.
(C) Aliens unlawfully present after previous
immigration violations
(i) In general
Any alien who—
(I) has been unlawfully present in the
United States for an aggregate period of
more than 1 year, or
(II) has been ordered removed under
section 1225(b)(1) of this title, section
1229a of this title, or any other provision
of law,
and who enters or attempts to reenter the
United States without being admitted is
inadmissible.
(ii) Exception
Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien
seeking admission more than 10 years
after the date of the alien’s last departure
from the United States if, prior to the
alien’s reembarkation at a place outside
the United States or attempt to be readmitted from a foreign contiguous territory, the Secretary of Homeland Security
has consented to the alien’s reapplying for
admission.
(iii) Waiver
The Secretary of Homeland Security
may waive the application of clause (i) in
the case of an alien who is a VAWA self-petitioner if there is a connection between—
(I) the alien’s battering or subjection
to extreme cruelty; and

Page 131

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

(II) the alien’s removal, departure from
the United States, reentry or reentries
into the United States; or attempted reentry into the United States.
(10) Miscellaneous
(A) Practicing polygamists
Any immigrant who is coming to the
United States to practice polygamy is inadmissible.
(B) Guardian required to accompany helpless
alien
Any alien—
(i) who is accompanying another alien
who is inadmissible and who is certified to
be helpless from sickness, mental or physical disability, or infancy pursuant to section 1222(c) of this title, and
(ii) whose protection or guardianship is
determined to be required by the alien described in clause (i),
is inadmissible.
(C) International child abduction
(i) In general
Except as provided in clause (ii), any
alien who, after entry of an order by a
court in the United States granting custody to a person of a United States citizen
child who detains or retains the child, or
withholds custody of the child, outside the
United States from the person granted custody by that order, is inadmissible until
the child is surrendered to the person
granted custody by that order.
(ii) Aliens supporting abductors and relatives of abductors
Any alien who—
(I) is known by the Secretary of State
to have intentionally assisted an alien in
the conduct described in clause (i),
(II) is known by the Secretary of State
to be intentionally providing material
support or safe haven to an alien described in clause (i), or
(III) is a spouse (other than the spouse
who is the parent of the abducted child),
child (other than the abducted child),
parent, sibling, or agent of an alien described in clause (i), if such person has
been designated by the Secretary of
State at the Secretary’s sole and unreviewable discretion, is inadmissible
until the child described in clause (i) is
surrendered to the person granted custody by the order described in that
clause, and such person and child are
permitted to return to the United States
or such person’s place of residence.
(iii) Exceptions
Clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply—
(I) to a government official of the
United States who is acting within the
scope of his or her official duties;
(II) to a government official of any foreign government if the official has been
designated by the Secretary of State at
the Secretary’s sole and unreviewable
discretion; or

§ 1182

(III) so long as the child is located in a
foreign state that is a party to the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, done at The
Hague on October 25, 1980.
(D) Unlawful voters
(i) In general
Any alien who has voted in violation of
any Federal, State, or local constitutional
provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation is inadmissible.
(ii) Exception
In the case of an alien who voted in a
Federal, State, or local election (including
an initiative, recall, or referendum) in violation of a lawful restriction of voting to
citizens, if each natural parent of the alien
(or, in the case of an adopted alien, each
adoptive parent of the alien) is or was a
citizen (whether by birth or naturalization), the alien permanently resided in the
United States prior to attaining the age of
16, and the alien reasonably believed at the
time of such violation that he or she was
a citizen, the alien shall not be considered
to be inadmissible under any provision of
this subsection based on such violation.
(E) Former citizens who renounced citizenship to avoid taxation
Any alien who is a former citizen of the
United States who officially renounces
United States citizenship and who is determined by the Attorney General to have renounced United States citizenship for the
purpose of avoiding taxation by the United
States is inadmissible.
(b) Notices of denials
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), if an
alien’s application for a visa, for admission to
the United States, or for adjustment of status is
denied by an immigration or consular officer because the officer determines the alien to be inadmissible under subsection (a) of this section,
the officer shall provide the alien with a timely
written notice that—
(A) states the determination, and
(B) lists the specific provision or provisions
of law under which the alien is inadmissible or
adjustment 4 of status.
(2) The Secretary of State may waive the requirements of paragraph (1) with respect to a
particular alien or any class or classes of inadmissible aliens.
(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any alien
inadmissible under paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Repealed. Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III,
§ 304(b), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–597
(d) Temporary admission of nonimmigrants
(1) The Attorney General shall determine
whether a ground for inadmissibility exists with
respect to a nonimmigrant described in section
1101(a)(15)(S) of this title. The Attorney General,
4 So in original. Probably should be preceded by ‘‘ineligible
for’’.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

in the Attorney General’s discretion, may waive
the application of subsection (a) of this section
(other than paragraph (3)(E)) in the case of a
nonimmigrant described in section 1101(a)(15)(S)
of this title, if the Attorney General considers it
to be in the national interest to do so. Nothing
in this section shall be regarded as prohibiting
the Immigration and Naturalization Service
from instituting removal proceedings against an
alien admitted as a nonimmigrant under section
1101(a)(15)(S) of this title for conduct committed
after the alien’s admission into the United
States, or for conduct or a condition that was
not disclosed to the Attorney General prior to
the alien’s admission as a nonimmigrant under
section 1101(a)(15)(S) of this title.
(2) Repealed. Pub. L. 101–649, title VI,
§ 601(d)(2)(A), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5076.
(3)(A) Except as provided in this subsection, an
alien (i) who is applying for a nonimmigrant
visa and is known or believed by the consular officer to be ineligible for such visa under subsection (a) of this section (other than paragraphs (3)(A)(i)(I), (3)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(iii), (3)(C),
and clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (3)(E) of
such subsection), may, after approval by the Attorney General of a recommendation by the Secretary of State or by the consular officer that
the alien be admitted temporarily despite his inadmissibility, be granted such a visa and may be
admitted into the United States temporarily as
a nonimmigrant in the discretion of the Attorney General, or (ii) who is inadmissible under
subsection (a) of this section (other than paragraphs (3)(A)(i)(I), (3)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(iii), (3)(C),
and clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (3)(E) of
such subsection), but who is in possession of appropriate documents or is granted a waiver
thereof and is seeking admission, may be admitted into the United States temporarily as a nonimmigrant in the discretion of the Attorney
General. The Attorney General shall prescribe
conditions, including exaction of such bonds as
may be necessary, to control and regulate the
admission and return of inadmissible aliens applying for temporary admission under this paragraph.
(B)(i) The Secretary of State, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary
of Homeland Security, after consultation with
the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, may determine in such Secretary’s sole unreviewable discretion that subsection (a)(3)(B)
shall not apply with respect to an alien within
the scope of that subsection or that subsection
(a)(3)(B)(vi)(III) shall not apply to a group within the scope of that subsection, except that no
such waiver may be extended to an alien who is
within the scope of subsection (a)(3)(B)(i)(II), no
such waiver may be extended to an alien who is
a member or representative of, has voluntarily
and knowingly engaged in or endorsed or espoused or persuaded others to endorse or espouse
or support terrorist activity on behalf of, or has
voluntarily and knowingly received militarytype training from a terrorist organization that
is described in subclause (I) or (II) of subsection
(a)(3)(B)(vi), and no such waiver may be extended to a group that has engaged terrorist activity against the United States or another

Page 132

democratic country or that has purposefully engaged in a pattern or practice of terrorist activity that is directed at civilians. Such a determination shall neither prejudice the ability of
the United States Government to commence
criminal or civil proceedings involving a beneficiary of such a determination or any other person, nor create any substantive or procedural
right or benefit for a beneficiary of such a determination or any other person. Notwithstanding
any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), including section 2241 of title 28, or
any other habeas corpus provision, and sections
1361 and 1651 of such title, no court shall have
jurisdiction to review such a determination or
revocation except in a proceeding for review of
a final order of removal pursuant to section 1252
of this title, and review shall be limited to the
extent provided in section 1252(a)(2)(D). The Secretary of State may not exercise the discretion
provided in this clause with respect to an alien
at any time during which the alien is the subject of pending removal proceedings under section 1229a of this title.
(ii) Not later than 90 days after the end of each
fiscal year, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each provide
to the Committees on the Judiciary of the
House of Representatives and of the Senate, the
Committee on International Relations of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives a report on the aliens to whom
such Secretary has applied clause (i). Within one
week of applying clause (i) to a group, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall provide a report to such Committees.
(4) Either or both of the requirements of paragraph (7)(B)(i) of subsection (a) of this section
may be waived by the Attorney General and the
Secretary of State acting jointly (A) on the
basis of unforeseen emergency in individual
cases, or (B) on the basis of reciprocity with respect to nationals of foreign contiguous territory or of adjacent islands and residents thereof
having a common nationality with such nationals, or (C) in the case of aliens proceeding in immediate and continuous transit through the
United States under contracts authorized in section 1223(c) of this title.
(5)(A) The Attorney General may, except as
provided in subparagraph (B) or in section 1184(f)
of this title, in his discretion parole into the
United States temporarily under such conditions as he may prescribe only on a case-by-case
basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit any alien applying for admission to the United States, but such parole of
such alien shall not be regarded as an admission
of the alien and when the purposes of such parole shall, in the opinion of the Attorney General, have been served the alien shall forthwith
return or be returned to the custody from which
he was paroled and thereafter his case shall continue to be dealt with in the same manner as
that of any other applicant for admission to the
United States.
(B) The Attorney General may not parole into
the United States an alien who is a refugee un-

Page 133

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

less the Attorney General determines that compelling reasons in the public interest with respect to that particular alien require that the
alien be paroled into the United States rather
than be admitted as a refugee under section 1157
of this title.
(6) Repealed. Pub. L. 101–649, title VI,
§ 601(d)(2)(A), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5076.
(7) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section (other than paragraph (7)) shall be applicable to any alien who shall leave Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands of the United
States, and who seeks to enter the continental
United States or any other place under the jurisdiction of the United States. The Attorney General shall by regulations provide a method and
procedure for the temporary admission to the
United States of the aliens described in this proviso.5 Any alien described in this paragraph, who
is denied admission to the United States, shall
be immediately removed in the manner provided
by section 1231(c) of this title.
(8) Upon a basis of reciprocity accredited officials of foreign governments, their immediate
families, attendants, servants, and personal employees may be admitted in immediate and continuous transit through the United States without regard to the provisions of this section except paragraphs (3)(A), (3)(B), (3)(C), and (7)(B) of
subsection (a) of this section.
(9), (10) Repealed. Pub. L. 101–649, title VI,
§ 601(d)(2)(A), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5076.
(11) The Attorney General may, in his discretion for humanitarian purposes, to assure family
unity, or when it is otherwise in the public interest, waive application of clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(E) of this section in the case of
any alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who temporarily proceeded abroad voluntarily and not under an order of removal, and
who is otherwise admissible to the United
States as a returning resident under section
1181(b) of this title and in the case of an alien
seeking admission or adjustment of status as an
immediate relative or immigrant under section
1153(a) of this title (other than paragraph (4)
thereof), if the alien has encouraged, induced,
assisted, abetted, or aided only an individual
who at the time of such action was the alien’s
spouse, parent, son, or daughter (and no other
individual) to enter the United States in violation of law.
(12) The Attorney General may, in the discretion of the Attorney General for humanitarian
purposes or to assure family unity, waive application of clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(F) of this
section—
(A) in the case of an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence who temporarily proceeded abroad voluntarily and not under an
order of deportation or removal and who is
otherwise admissible to the United States as a
returning resident under section 1181(b) of this
title, and
(B) in the case of an alien seeking admission
or adjustment of status under section
1151(b)(2)(A) of this title or under section
1153(a) of this title,

if no previous civil money penalty was imposed
against the alien under section 1324c of this title
and the offense was committed solely to assist,
aid, or support the alien’s spouse or child (and
not another individual). No court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision of the Attorney
General to grant or deny a waiver under this
paragraph.
(13)(A) The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall determine whether a ground for inadmissibility exists with respect to a nonimmigrant
described in section 1101(a)(15)(T) of this title,
except that the ground for inadmissibility described in subsection (a)(4) of this section shall
not apply with respect to such a nonimmigrant.
(B) In addition to any other waiver that may
be available under this section, in the case of a
nonimmigrant described in section 1101(a)(15)(T)
of this title, if the Secretary of Homeland Security considers it to be in the national interest to
do so, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
the Attorney General’s 6 discretion, may waive
the application of—
(i) subsection (a)(1) of this section; and
(ii) any other provision of subsection (a) of
this section (excluding paragraphs (3), (4),
(10)(C), and (10(E)) 7 if the activities rendering
the alien inadmissible under the provision
were caused by, or were incident to, the victimization
described
in
section
1101(a)(15)(T)(i)(I) of this title.
(14) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
determine whether a ground of inadmissibility
exists with respect to a nonimmigrant described
in section 1101(a)(15)(U) of this title. The Secretary of Homeland Security, in the Attorney
General’s 6 discretion, may waive the application
of subsection (a) of this section (other than
paragraph (3)(E)) in the case of a nonimmigrant
described in section 1101(a)(15)(U) of this title, if
the Secretary of Homeland Security considers it
to be in the public or national interest to do so.
(e) Educational visitor status; foreign residence
requirement; waiver
No person admitted under section 1101(a)(15)(J)
of this title or acquiring such status after admission (i) whose participation in the program
for which he came to the United States was financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by an agency of the Government of the
United States or by the government of the country of his nationality or his last residence, (ii)
who at the time of admission or acquisition of
status under section 1101(a)(15)(J) of this title
was a national or resident of a country which
the Director of the United States Information
Agency, pursuant to regulations prescribed by
him, had designated as clearly requiring the
services of persons engaged in the field of specialized knowledge or skill in which the alien
was engaged, or (iii) who came to the United
States or acquired such status in order to receive graduate medical education or training,
shall be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa,
or for permanent residence, or for a nonimmigrant visa under section 1101(a)(15)(H) or
section 1101(a)(15)(L) of this title until it is es6 So

5 So

in original.

§ 1182

7 So

in original. Probably should be ‘‘Secretary’s’’.
in original. Probably should be ‘‘(10)(E))’’.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

tablished that such person has resided and been
physically present in the country of his nationality or his last residence for an aggregate of at
least two years following departure from the
United States: Provided, That upon the favorable
recommendation of the Director, pursuant to
the request of an interested United States Government agency (or, in the case of an alien described in clause (iii), pursuant to the request of
a State Department of Public Health, or its
equivalent), or of the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization after he has determined
that departure from the United States would
impose exceptional hardship upon the alien’s
spouse or child (if such spouse or child is a citizen of the United States or a lawfully resident
alien), or that the alien cannot return to the
country of his nationality or last residence because he would be subject to persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion, the
Attorney General may waive the requirement of
such two-year foreign residence abroad in the
case of any alien whose admission to the United
States is found by the Attorney General to be in
the public interest except that in the case of a
waiver requested by a State Department of Public Health, or its equivalent, or in the case of a
waiver requested by an interested United States
Government agency on behalf of an alien described in clause (iii), the waiver shall be subject
to the requirements of section 1184(l) of this
title: And provided further, That, except in the
case of an alien described in clause (iii), the Attorney General may, upon the favorable recommendation of the Director, waive such two-year
foreign residence requirement in any case in
which the foreign country of the alien’s nationality or last residence has furnished the Director a statement in writing that it has no objection to such waiver in the case of such alien.
(f) Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by President
Whenever the President finds that the entry of
any aliens or of any class of aliens into the
United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any
class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants,
or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions
he may deem to be appropriate. Whenever the
Attorney General finds that a commercial airline has failed to comply with regulations of the
Attorney General relating to requirements of
airlines for the detection of fraudulent documents used by passengers traveling to the
United States (including the training of personnel in such detection), the Attorney General
may suspend the entry of some or all aliens
transported to the United States by such airline.
(g) Bond and conditions for admission of alien
inadmissible on health-related grounds
The Attorney General may waive the application of—
(1) subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) in the case of any
alien who—
(A) is the spouse or the unmarried son or
daughter, or the minor unmarried lawfully
adopted child, of a United States citizen, or
of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent

Page 134

residence, or of an alien who has been issued
an immigrant visa,
(B) has a son or daughter who is a United
States citizen, or an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence, or an alien who has
been issued an immigrant visa; or
(C) is a VAWA self-petitioner,
in accordance with such terms, conditions, and
controls, if any, including the giving of bond,
as the Attorney General, in the discretion of
the Attorney General after consultation with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
may by regulation prescribe;
(2) subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section in
the case of any alien—
(A) who receives vaccination against the
vaccine-preventable disease or diseases for
which the alien has failed to present documentation of previous vaccination,
(B) for whom a civil surgeon, medical officer, or panel physician (as those terms are
defined by section 34.2 of title 42 of the Code
of Federal Regulations) certifies, according
to such regulations as the Secretary of
Health and Human Services may prescribe,
that such vaccination would not be medically appropriate, or
(C) under such circumstances as the Attorney General provides by regulation, with respect to whom the requirement of such a
vaccination would be contrary to the alien’s
religious beliefs or moral convictions; or
(3) subsection (a)(1)(A)(iii) of this section in
the case of any alien, in accordance with such
terms, conditions, and controls, if any, including the giving of bond, as the Attorney General, in the discretion of the Attorney General
after consultation with the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, may by regulation prescribe.
(h) Waiver of subsection (a)(2)(A)(i)(I), (II), (B),
(D), and (E)
The Attorney General may, in his discretion,
waive the application of subparagraphs (A)(i)(I),
(B), (D), and (E) of subsection (a)(2) of this section and subparagraph (A)(i)(II) of such subsection insofar as it relates to a single offense of
simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana if—
(1)(A) in the case of any immigrant it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General that—
(i) the alien is inadmissible only under
subparagraph (D)(i) or (D)(ii) of such subsection or the activities for which the alien
is inadmissible occurred more than 15 years
before the date of the alien’s application for
a visa, admission, or adjustment of status,
(ii) the admission to the United States of
such alien would not be contrary to the national welfare, safety, or security of the
United States, and
(iii) the alien has been rehabilitated; or
(B) in the case of an immigrant who is the
spouse, parent, son, or daughter of a citizen of
the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if it is established
to the satisfaction of the Attorney General
that the alien’s denial of admission would re-

Page 135

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

sult in extreme hardship to the United States
citizen or lawfully resident spouse, parent,
son, or daughter of such alien; or
(C) the alien is a VAWA self-petitioner; and
(2) the Attorney General, in his discretion,
and pursuant to such terms, conditions and
procedures as he may by regulations prescribe,
has consented to the alien’s applying or reapplying for a visa, for admission to the United
States, or adjustment of status.
No waiver shall be provided under this subsection in the case of an alien who has been convicted of (or who has admitted committing acts
that constitute) murder or criminal acts involving torture, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit murder or a criminal act involving torture.
No waiver shall be granted under this subsection
in the case of an alien who has previously been
admitted to the United States as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if either
since the date of such admission the alien has
been convicted of an aggravated felony or the
alien has not lawfully resided continuously in
the United States for a period of not less than 7
years immediately preceding the date of initiation of proceedings to remove the alien from
the United States. No court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision of the Attorney General to grant or deny a waiver under this subsection.
(i) Admission of immigrant inadmissible for
fraud or willful misrepresentation of material fact
(1) The Attorney General may, in the discretion of the Attorney General, waive the application of clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(C) of this
section in the case of an immigrant who is the
spouse, son, or daughter of a United States citizen or of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the refusal of
admission to the United States of such immigrant alien would result in extreme hardship to
the citizen or lawfully resident spouse or parent
of such an alien or, in the case of a VAWA selfpetitioner, the alien demonstrates extreme
hardship to the alien or the alien’s United
States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or
qualified alien parent or child.
(2) No court shall have jurisdiction to review
a decision or action of the Attorney General regarding a waiver under paragraph (1).
(j) Limitation on immigration of foreign medical
graduates
(1) The additional requirements referred to in
section 1101(a)(15)(J) of this title for an alien
who is coming to the United States under a program under which he will receive graduate medical education or training are as follows:
(A) A school of medicine or of one of the
other health professions, which is accredited
by a body or bodies approved for the purpose
by the Secretary of Education, has agreed in
writing to provide the graduate medical education or training under the program for
which the alien is coming to the United States
or to assume responsibility for arranging for
the provision thereof by an appropriate public
or nonprofit private institution or agency, ex-

§ 1182

cept that, in the case of such an agreement by
a school of medicine, any one or more of its affiliated hospitals which are to participate in
the provision of the graduate medical education or training must join in the agreement.
(B) Before making such agreement, the accredited school has been satisfied that the
alien (i) is a graduate of a school of medicine
which is accredited by a body or bodies approved for the purpose by the Secretary of
Education (regardless of whether such school
of medicine is in the United States); or (ii)(I)
has passed parts I and II of the National Board
of Medical Examiners Examination (or an
equivalent examination as determined by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services), (II)
has competency in oral and written English,
(III) will be able to adapt to the educational
and cultural environment in which he will be
receiving his education or training, and (IV)
has adequate prior education and training to
participate satisfactorily in the program for
which he is coming to the United States. For
the purposes of this subparagraph, an alien
who is a graduate of a medical school shall be
considered to have passed parts I and II of the
National Board of Medical Examiners examination if the alien was fully and permanently
licensed to practice medicine in a State on
January 9, 1978, and was practicing medicine
in a State on that date.
(C) The alien has made a commitment to return to the country of his nationality or last
residence upon completion of the education or
training for which he is coming to the United
States, and the government of the country of
his nationality or last residence has provided
a written assurance, satisfactory to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, that
there is a need in that country for persons
with the skills the alien will acquire in such
education or training.
(D) The duration of the alien’s participation
in the program of graduate medical education
or training for which the alien is coming to
the United States is limited to the time typically required to complete such program, as
determined by the Director of the United
States Information Agency at the time of the
alien’s admission into the United States,
based on criteria which are established in coordination with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services and which take into consideration the published requirements of the medical specialty board which administers such
education or training program; except that—
(i) such duration is further limited to
seven years unless the alien has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Director
that the country to which the alien will return at the end of such specialty education
or training has an exceptional need for an
individual trained in such specialty, and
(ii) the alien may, once and not later than
two years after the date the alien is admitted to the United States as an exchange visitor or acquires exchange visitor status,
change the alien’s designated program of
graduate medical education or training if
the Director approves the change and if a
commitment and written assurance with re-

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

spect to the alien’s new program have been
provided in accordance with subparagraph
(C).
(E) The alien furnishes the Attorney General
each year with an affidavit (in such form as
the Attorney General shall prescribe) that attests that the alien (i) is in good standing in
the program of graduate medical education or
training in which the alien is participating,
and (ii) will return to the country of his nationality or last residence upon completion of
the education or training for which he came to
the United States.
(2) An alien who is a graduate of a medical
school and who is coming to the United States
to perform services as a member of the medical
profession may not be admitted as a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of
this title unless—
(A) the alien is coming pursuant to an invitation from a public or nonprofit private educational or research institution or agency in
the United States to teach or conduct research, or both, at or for such institution or
agency, or
(B)(i) the alien has passed the Federation licensing examination (administered by the
Federation of State Medical Boards of the
United States) or an equivalent examination
as determined by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, and
(ii)(I) has competency in oral and written
English or (II) is a graduate of a school of
medicine which is accredited by a body or bodies approved for the purpose by the Secretary
of Education (regardless of whether such
school of medicine is in the United States).
(3) Omitted.
(k) Attorney General’s discretion to admit otherwise inadmissible aliens who possess immigrant visas
Any alien, inadmissible from the United
States under paragraph (5)(A) or (7)(A)(i) of subsection (a) of this section, who is in possession
of an immigrant visa may, if otherwise admissible, be admitted in the discretion of the Attorney General if the Attorney General is satisfied
that inadmissibility was not known to, and
could not have been ascertained by the exercise
of reasonable diligence by, the immigrant before
the time of departure of the vessel or aircraft
from the last port outside the United States and
outside foreign contiguous territory or, in the
case of an immigrant coming from foreign contiguous territory, before the time of the immigrant’s application for admission.
(l) Guam and Northern Mariana Islands visa
waiver program
(1) In general
The requirement of subsection (a)(7)(B)(i)
may be waived by the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in the case of an alien applying for
admission as a nonimmigrant visitor for business or pleasure and solely for entry into and
stay in Guam or the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands for a period not to
exceed 45 days, if the Secretary of Homeland
Security, after consultation with the Sec-

Page 136

retary of the Interior, the Secretary of State,
the Governor of Guam and the Governor of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, determines that—
(A) an adequate arrival and departure control system has been developed in Guam and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands; and
(B) such a waiver does not represent a
threat to the welfare, safety, or security of
the United States or its territories and commonwealths.
(2) Alien waiver of rights
An alien may not be provided a waiver under
this subsection unless the alien has waived
any right—
(A) to review or appeal under this chapter
an immigration officer’s determination as to
the admissibility of the alien at the port of
entry into Guam or the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands; or
(B) to contest, other than on the basis of
an application for withholding of removal
under section 1231(b)(3) of this title or under
the Convention Against Torture, or an application for asylum if permitted under section
1158 of this title, any action for removal of
the alien.
(3) Regulations
All necessary regulations to implement this
subsection shall be promulgated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation
with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State, on or before the 180th day
after May 8, 2008. The promulgation of such
regulations shall be considered a foreign affairs function for purposes of section 553(a) of
title 5. At a minimum, such regulations should
include, but not necessarily be limited to—
(A) a listing of all countries whose nationals may obtain the waiver also provided by
this subsection, except that such regulations
shall provide for a listing of any country
from which the Commonwealth has received
a significant economic benefit from the
number of visitors for pleasure within the
one-year period preceding May 8, 2008, unless
the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that such country’s inclusion on such
list would represent a threat to the welfare,
safety, or security of the United States or
its territories; and
(B) any bonding requirements for nationals of some or all of those countries who
may present an increased risk of overstays
or other potential problems, if different from
such requirements otherwise provided by
law for nonimmigrant visitors.
(4) Factors
In determining whether to grant or continue
providing the waiver under this subsection to
nationals of any country, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
State, shall consider all factors that the Secretary deems relevant, including electronic
travel authorizations, procedures for reporting
lost and stolen passports, repatriation of
aliens, rates of refusal for nonimmigrant visi-

Page 137

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

tor visas, overstays, exit systems, and information exchange.
(5) Suspension
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
monitor the admission of nonimmigrant visitors to Guam and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands under this subsection. If the Secretary determines that such
admissions have resulted in an unacceptable
number of visitors from a country remaining
unlawfully in Guam or the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, unlawfully obtaining entry to other parts of the United
States, or seeking withholding of removal or
asylum, or that visitors from a country pose a
risk to law enforcement or security interests
of Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or of the United States
(including the interest in the enforcement of
the immigration laws of the United States),
the Secretary shall suspend the admission of
nationals of such country under this subsection. The Secretary of Homeland Security
may in the Secretary’s discretion suspend the
Guam and Northern Mariana Islands visa
waiver program at any time, on a country-bycountry basis, for other good cause.
(6) Addition of countries
The Governor of Guam and the Governor of
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands may request the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Homeland Security
to add a particular country to the list of countries whose nationals may obtain the waiver
provided by this subsection, and the Secretary
of Homeland Security may grant such request
after consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of State, and may
promulgate regulations with respect to the inclusion of that country and any special requirements the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the Secretary’s sole discretion, may
impose prior to allowing nationals of that
country to obtain the waiver provided by this
subsection.
(m) Requirements for admission of nonimmigrant nurses
(1) The qualifications referred to in section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title, with respect to
an alien who is coming to the United States to
perform nursing services for a facility, are that
the alien—
(A) has obtained a full and unrestricted license to practice professional nursing in the
country where the alien obtained nursing education or has received nursing education in
the United States;
(B) has passed an appropriate examination
(recognized in regulations promulgated in consultation with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services) or has a full and unrestricted
license under State law to practice professional nursing in the State of intended employment; and
(C) is fully qualified and eligible under the
laws (including such temporary or interim licensing requirements which authorize the
nurse to be employed) governing the place of
intended employment to engage in the prac-

§ 1182

tice of professional nursing as a registered
nurse immediately upon admission to the
United States and is authorized under such
laws to be employed by the facility.
(2)(A) The attestation referred to in section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title, with respect to a
facility for which an alien will perform services,
is an attestation as to the following:
(i) The facility meets all the requirements of
paragraph (6).
(ii) The employment of the alien will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of registered nurses similarly employed.
(iii) The alien employed by the facility will
be paid the wage rate for registered nurses
similarly employed by the facility.
(iv) The facility has taken and is taking
timely and significant steps designed to recruit and retain sufficient registered nurses
who are United States citizens or immigrants
who are authorized to perform nursing services, in order to remove as quickly as reasonably possible the dependence of the facility on
nonimmigrant registered nurses.
(v) There is not a strike or lockout in the
course of a labor dispute, the facility did not
lay off and will not lay off a registered nurse
employed by the facility within the period beginning 90 days before and ending 90 days after
the date of filing of any visa petition, and the
employment of such an alien is not intended
or designed to influence an election for a bargaining representative for registered nurses of
the facility.
(vi) At the time of the filing of the petition
for
registered
nurses
under
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title, notice of the
filing has been provided by the facility to the
bargaining representative of the registered
nurses at the facility or, where there is no
such bargaining representative, notice of the
filing has been provided to the registered
nurses employed at the facility through posting in conspicuous locations.
(vii) The facility will not, at any time, employ a number of aliens issued visas or otherwise provided nonimmigrant status under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title that exceeds 33 percent of the total number of registered nurses employed by the facility.
(viii) The facility will not, with respect to
any alien issued a visa or otherwise provided
nonimmigrant
status
under
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title—
(I) authorize the alien to perform nursing
services at any worksite other than a worksite controlled by the facility; or
(II) transfer the place of employment of
the alien from one worksite to another.
Nothing in clause (iv) shall be construed as requiring a facility to have taken significant
steps described in such clause before November 12, 1999. A copy of the attestation shall be
provided, within 30 days of the date of filing,
to registered nurses employed at the facility
on the date of filing.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iv), each
of the following shall be considered a significant
step reasonably designed to recruit and retain
registered nurses:

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

(i) Operating a training program for registered nurses at the facility or financing (or
providing participation in) a training program
for registered nurses elsewhere.
(ii) Providing career development programs
and other methods of facilitating health care
workers to become registered nurses.
(iii) Paying registered nurses wages at a rate
higher than currently being paid to registered
nurses similarly employed in the geographic
area.
(iv) Providing reasonable opportunities for
meaningful salary advancement by registered
nurses.
The steps described in this subparagraph shall
not be considered to be an exclusive list of the
significant steps that may be taken to meet the
conditions of subparagraph (A)(iv). Nothing in
this subparagraph shall require a facility to
take more than one step if the facility can demonstrate that taking a second step is not reasonable.
(C) Subject to subparagraph (E), an attestation under subparagraph (A)—
(i) shall expire on the date that is the later
of—
(I) the end of the one-year period beginning on the date of its filing with the Secretary of Labor; or
(II) the end of the period of admission
under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title
of the last alien with respect to whose admission it was applied (in accordance with
clause (ii)); and
(ii) shall apply to petitions filed during the
one-year period beginning on the date of its
filing with the Secretary of Labor if the facility states in each such petition that it continues to comply with the conditions in the attestation.
(D) A facility may meet the requirements
under this paragraph with respect to more than
one registered nurse in a single petition.
(E)(i) The Secretary of Labor shall compile
and make available for public examination in a
timely manner in Washington, D.C., a list identifying facilities which have filed petitions for
nonimmigrants under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c)
of this title and, for each such facility, a copy of
the facility’s attestation under subparagraph
(A) (and accompanying documentation) and each
such petition filed by the facility.
(ii) The Secretary of Labor shall establish a
process, including reasonable time limits, for
the receipt, investigation, and disposition of
complaints respecting a facility’s failure to
meet conditions attested to or a facility’s misrepresentation of a material fact in an attestation. Complaints may be filed by any aggrieved
person or organization (including bargaining
representatives, associations deemed appropriate by the Secretary, and other aggrieved
parties as determined under regulations of the
Secretary). The Secretary shall conduct an investigation under this clause if there is reasonable cause to believe that a facility fails to meet
conditions attested to. Subject to the time limits established under this clause, this subparagraph shall apply regardless of whether an attestation is expired or unexpired at the time a complaint is filed.

Page 138

(iii) Under such process, the Secretary shall
provide, within 180 days after the date such a
complaint is filed, for a determination as to
whether or not a basis exists to make a finding
described in clause (iv). If the Secretary determines that such a basis exists, the Secretary
shall provide for notice of such determination to
the interested parties and an opportunity for a
hearing on the complaint within 60 days of the
date of the determination.
(iv) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that a facility (for which an attestation is made) has failed
to meet a condition attested to or that there
was a misrepresentation of material fact in the
attestation, the Secretary shall notify the Attorney General of such finding and may, in addition, impose such other administrative remedies
(including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $1,000 per nurse per violation, with the total penalty not to exceed $10,000
per violation) as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate. Upon receipt of such notice, the Attorney General shall not approve petitions filed
with respect to a facility during a period of at
least one year for nurses to be employed by the
facility.
(v) In addition to the sanctions provided for
under clause (iv), if the Secretary of Labor finds,
after notice and an opportunity for a hearing,
that a facility has violated the condition attested to under subparagraph (A)(iii) (relating to
payment of registered nurses at the prevailing
wage rate), the Secretary shall order the facility
to provide for payment of such amounts of back
pay as may be required to comply with such condition.
(F)(i) The Secretary of Labor shall impose on
a facility filing an attestation under subparagraph (A) a filing fee, in an amount prescribed
by the Secretary based on the costs of carrying
out the Secretary’s duties under this subsection,
but not exceeding $250.
(ii) Fees collected under this subparagraph
shall be deposited in a fund established for this
purpose in the Treasury of the United States.
(iii) The collected fees in the fund shall be
available to the Secretary of Labor, to the extent and in such amounts as may be provided in
appropriations Acts, to cover the costs described
in clause (i), in addition to any other funds that
are available to the Secretary to cover such
costs.
(3) The period of admission of an alien under
section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title shall be 3
years.
(4) The total number of nonimmigrant visas issued pursuant to petitions granted under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title in each fiscal year
shall not exceed 500. The number of such visas
issued for employment in each State in each fiscal year shall not exceed the following:
(A) For States with populations of less than
9,000,000, based upon the 1990 decennial census
of population, 25 visas.
(B) For States with populations of 9,000,000
or more, based upon the 1990 decennial census
of population, 50 visas.
(C) If the total number of visas available
under this paragraph for a fiscal year quarter
exceeds the number of qualified nonimmi-

Page 139

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

grants who may be issued such visas during
those quarters, the visas made available under
this paragraph shall be issued without regard
to the numerical limitation under subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph during the
last fiscal year quarter.
(5) A facility that has filed a petition under
section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title to employ
a nonimmigrant to perform nursing services for
the facility—
(A) shall provide the nonimmigrant a wage
rate and working conditions commensurate
with those of nurses similarly employed by
the facility;
(B) shall require the nonimmigrant to work
hours commensurate with those of nurses
similarly employed by the facility; and
(C) shall not interfere with the right of the
nonimmigrant to join or organize a union.
(6) For purposes of this subsection and section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of this title, the term ‘‘facility’’ means a subsection (d) hospital (as defined
in section 1886(d)(1)(B) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(B))) that meets the
following requirements:
(A) As of March 31, 1997, the hospital was located in a health professional shortage area
(as defined in section 254e of title 42).
(B) Based on its settled cost report filed
under title XVIII of the Social Security Act
[42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.] for its cost reporting period beginning during fiscal year 1994—
(i) the hospital has not less than 190 licensed acute care beds;
(ii) the number of the hospital’s inpatient
days for such period which were made up of
patients who (for such days) were entitled to
benefits under part A of such title [42 U.S.C.
1395c et seq.] is not less than 35 percent of
the total number of such hospital’s acute
care inpatient days for such period; and
(iii) the number of the hospital’s inpatient
days for such period which were made up of
patients who (for such days) were eligible for
medical assistance under a State plan approved under title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.], is not less
than 28 percent of the total number of such
hospital’s acute care inpatient days for such
period.
(7) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(v), the
term ‘‘lay off’’, with respect to a worker—
(A) means to cause the worker’s loss of employment, other than through a discharge for
inadequate performance, violation of workplace rules, cause, voluntary departure, voluntary retirement, or the expiration of a grant
or contract; but
(B) does not include any situation in which
the worker is offered, as an alternative to such
loss of employment, a similar employment opportunity with the same employer at equivalent or higher compensation and benefits than
the position from which the employee was discharged, regardless of whether or not the employee accepts the offer.
Nothing in this paragraph is intended to limit
an employee’s or an employer’s rights under a
collective bargaining agreement or other employment contract.

§ 1182

(n) Labor condition application
(1) No alien may be admitted or provided
status as an H–1B nonimmigrant in an occupational classification unless the employer has
filed with the Secretary of Labor an application
stating the following:
(A) The employer—
(i) is offering and will offer during the period of authorized employment to aliens admitted or provided status as an H–1B nonimmigrant wages that are at least—
(I) the actual wage level paid by the employer to all other individuals with similar
experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question, or
(II) the prevailing wage level for the occupational classification in the area of employment,
whichever is greater, based on the best information available as of the time of filing the
application, and
(ii) will provide working conditions for
such a nonimmigrant that will not adversely
affect the working conditions of workers
similarly employed.
(B) There is not a strike or lockout in the
course of a labor dispute in the occupational
classification at the place of employment.
(C) The employer, at the time of filing the
application—
(i) has provided notice of the filing under
this paragraph to the bargaining representative (if any) of the employer’s employees in
the occupational classification and area for
which aliens are sought, or
(ii) if there is no such bargaining representative, has provided notice of filing in
the occupational classification through such
methods as physical posting in conspicuous
locations at the place of employment or
electronic notification to employees in the
occupational classification for which H–1B
nonimmigrants are sought.
(D) The application shall contain a specification of the number of workers sought, the occupational classification in which the workers
will be employed, and wage rate and conditions under which they will be employed.
(E)(i) In the case of an application described
in clause (ii), the employer did not displace
and will not displace a United States worker
(as defined in paragraph (4)) employed by the
employer within the period beginning 90 days
before and ending 90 days after the date of filing of any visa petition supported by the application.
(ii) An application described in this clause is
an application filed on or after the date final
regulations are first promulgated to carry out
this subparagraph, and before 8 by an H–1B-dependent employer (as defined in paragraph (3))
or by an employer that has been found, on or
after October 21, 1998, under paragraph (2)(C)
or (5) to have committed a willful failure or
misrepresentation during the 5-year period
preceding the filing of the application. An application is not described in this clause if the
8 So

in original.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

only H–1B nonimmigrants sought in the application are exempt H–1B nonimmigrants.
(F) In the case of an application described in
subparagraph (E)(ii), the employer will not
place the nonimmigrant with another employer (regardless of whether or not such other
employer is an H–1B-dependent employer)
where—
(i) the nonimmigrant performs duties in
whole or in part at one or more worksites
owned, operated, or controlled by such other
employer; and
(ii) there are indicia of an employment relationship between the nonimmigrant and
such other employer;
unless the employer has inquired of the other
employer as to whether, and has no knowledge
that, within the period beginning 90 days before and ending 90 days after the date of the
placement of the nonimmigrant with the other
employer, the other employer has displaced or
intends to displace a United States worker
employed by the other employer.
(G)(i) In the case of an application described
in subparagraph (E)(ii), subject to clause (ii),
the employer, prior to filing the application—
(I) has taken good faith steps to recruit, in
the United States using procedures that
meet industry-wide standards and offering
compensation that is at least as great as
that required to be offered to H–1B nonimmigrants under subparagraph (A), United
States workers for the job for which the nonimmigrant or nonimmigrants is or are
sought; and
(II) has offered the job to any United
States worker who applies and is equally or
better qualified for the job for which the
nonimmigrant or nonimmigrants is or are
sought.
(ii) The conditions described in clause (i)
shall not apply to an application filed with respect to the employment of an H–1B nonimmigrant who is described in subparagraph
(A), (B), or (C) of section 1153(b)(1) of this title.
The employer shall make available for public
examination, within one working day after the
date on which an application under this paragraph is filed, at the employer’s principal place
of business or worksite, a copy of each such application (and such accompanying documents as
are necessary). The Secretary shall compile, on
a current basis, a list (by employer and by occupational classification) of the applications filed
under this subsection. Such list shall include
the wage rate, number of aliens sought, period
of intended employment, and date of need. The
Secretary shall make such list available for public examination in Washington, D.C. The Secretary of Labor shall review such an application
only for completeness and obvious inaccuracies.
Unless the Secretary finds that the application
is incomplete or obviously inaccurate, the Secretary shall provide the certification described
in section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title within
7 days of the date of the filing of the application. The application form shall include a clear
statement explaining the liability under subparagraph (F) of a placing employer if the other
employer described in such subparagraph dis-

Page 140

places a United States worker as described in
such subparagraph. Nothing in subparagraph (G)
shall be construed to prohibit an employer from
using legitimate selection criteria relevant to
the job that are normal or customary to the
type of job involved, so long as such criteria are
not applied in a discriminatory manner.
(2)(A) Subject to paragraph (5)(A), the Secretary shall establish a process for the receipt,
investigation, and disposition of complaints respecting a petitioner’s failure to meet a condition specified in an application submitted under
paragraph (1) or a petitioner’s misrepresentation
of material facts in such an application. Complaints may be filed by any aggrieved person or
organization (including bargaining representatives). No investigation or hearing shall be conducted on a complaint concerning such a failure
or misrepresentation unless the complaint was
filed not later than 12 months after the date of
the failure or misrepresentation, respectively.
The Secretary shall conduct an investigation
under this paragraph if there is reasonable cause
to believe that such a failure or misrepresentation has occurred.
(B) Under such process, the Secretary shall
provide, within 30 days after the date such a
complaint is filed, for a determination as to
whether or not a reasonable basis exists to make
a finding described in subparagraph (C). If the
Secretary determines that such a reasonable
basis exists, the Secretary shall provide for notice of such determination to the interested parties and an opportunity for a hearing on the
complaint, in accordance with section 556 of
title 5, within 60 days after the date of the determination. If such a hearing is requested, the
Secretary shall make a finding concerning the
matter by not later than 60 days after the date
of the hearing. In the case of similar complaints
respecting the same applicant, the Secretary
may consolidate the hearings under this subparagraph on such complaints.
(C)(i) If the Secretary finds, after notice and
opportunity for a hearing, a failure to meet a
condition of paragraph (1)(B), (1)(E), or (1)(F), a
substantial failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1)(C), (1)(D), or (1)(G)(i)(I), or a misrepresentation of material fact in an application—
(I) the Secretary shall notify the Attorney
General of such finding and may, in addition,
impose such other administrative remedies
(including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $1,000 per violation) as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
and
(II) the Attorney General shall not approve
petitions filed with respect to that employer
under section 1154 or 1184(c) of this title during
a period of at least 1 year for aliens to be employed by the employer.
(ii) If the Secretary finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure to meet
a condition of paragraph (1), a willful misrepresentation of material fact in an application, or
a violation of clause (iv)—
(I) the Secretary shall notify the Attorney
General of such finding and may, in addition,
impose such other administrative remedies
(including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $5,000 per violation) as

Page 141

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
and
(II) the Attorney General shall not approve
petitions filed with respect to that employer
under section 1154 or 1184(c) of this title during
a period of at least 2 years for aliens to be employed by the employer.
(iii) If the Secretary finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure to meet
a condition of paragraph (1) or a willful misrepresentation of material fact in an application, in the course of which failure or misrepresentation the employer displaced a United
States worker employed by the employer within
the period beginning 90 days before and ending
90 days after the date of filing of any visa petition supported by the application—
(I) the Secretary shall notify the Attorney
General of such finding and may, in addition,
impose such other administrative remedies
(including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $35,000 per violation) as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
and
(II) the Attorney General shall not approve
petitions filed with respect to that employer
under section 1154 or 1184(c) of this title during
a period of at least 3 years for aliens to be employed by the employer.
(iv) It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an application under this
subsection to intimidate, threaten, restrain, coerce, blacklist, discharge, or in any other manner discriminate against an employee (which
term, for purposes of this clause, includes a
former employee and an applicant for employment) because the employee has disclosed information to the employer, or to any other person,
that the employee reasonably believes evidences
a violation of this subsection, or any rule or regulation pertaining to this subsection, or because
the employee cooperates or seeks to cooperate
in an investigation or other proceeding concerning the employer’s compliance with the requirements of this subsection or any rule or regulation pertaining to this subsection.
(v) The Secretary of Labor and the Attorney
General shall devise a process under which an
H–1B nonimmigrant who files a complaint regarding a violation of clause (iv) and is otherwise eligible to remain and work in the United
States may be allowed to seek other appropriate
employment in the United States for a period
not to exceed the maximum period of stay authorized for such nonimmigrant classification.
(vi)(I) It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an application under this
subsection to require an H–1B nonimmigrant to
pay a penalty for ceasing employment with the
employer prior to a date agreed to by the nonimmigrant and the employer. The Secretary
shall determine whether a required payment is a
penalty (and not liquidated damages) pursuant
to relevant State law.
(II) It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an application under this
subsection to require an alien who is the subject
of a petition filed under section 1184(c)(1) of this
title, for which a fee is imposed under section
1184(c)(9) of this title, to reimburse, or otherwise

§ 1182

compensate, the employer for part or all of the
cost of such fee. It is a violation of this clause
for such an employer otherwise to accept such
reimbursement or compensation from such an
alien.
(III) If the Secretary finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that an employer has
committed a violation of this clause, the Secretary may impose a civil monetary penalty of
$1,000 for each such violation and issue an administrative order requiring the return to the
nonimmigrant of any amount paid in violation
of this clause, or, if the nonimmigrant cannot be
located, requiring payment of any such amount
to the general fund of the Treasury.
(vii)(I) It is a failure to meet a condition of
paragraph (1)(A) for an employer, who has filed
an application under this subsection and who
places an H–1B nonimmigrant designated as a
full-time employee on the petition filed under
section 1184(c)(1) of this title by the employer
with respect to the nonimmigrant, after the
nonimmigrant has entered into employment
with the employer, in nonproductive status due
to a decision by the employer (based on factors
such as lack of work), or due to the nonimmigrant’s lack of a permit or license, to fail to pay
the nonimmigrant full-time wages in accordance
with paragraph (1)(A) for all such nonproductive
time.
(II) It is a failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1)(A) for an employer, who has filed an
application under this subsection and who
places an H–1B nonimmigrant designated as a
part-time employee on the petition filed under
section 1184(c)(1) of this title by the employer
with respect to the nonimmigrant, after the
nonimmigrant has entered into employment
with the employer, in nonproductive status
under circumstances described in subclause (I),
to fail to pay such a nonimmigrant for such
hours as are designated on such petition consistent with the rate of pay identified on such petition.
(III) In the case of an H–1B nonimmigrant who
has not yet entered into employment with an
employer who has had approved an application
under this subsection, and a petition under section 1184(c)(1) of this title, with respect to the
nonimmigrant, the provisions of subclauses (I)
and (II) shall apply to the employer beginning 30
days after the date the nonimmigrant first is admitted into the United States pursuant to the
petition, or 60 days after the date the nonimmigrant becomes eligible to work for the employer (in the case of a nonimmigrant who is
present in the United States on the date of the
approval of the petition).
(IV) This clause does not apply to a failure to
pay wages to an H–1B nonimmigrant for nonproductive time due to non-work-related factors, such as the voluntary request of the nonimmigrant for an absence or circumstances rendering the nonimmigrant unable to work.
(V) This clause shall not be construed as prohibiting an employer that is a school or other
educational institution from applying to an
H–1B nonimmigrant an established salary practice of the employer, under which the employer
pays to H–1B nonimmigrants and United States
workers in the same occupational classification

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

an annual salary in disbursements over fewer
than 12 months, if—
(aa) the nonimmigrant agrees to the compressed annual salary payments prior to the
commencement of the employment; and
(bb) the application of the salary practice to
the nonimmigrant does not otherwise cause
the nonimmigrant to violate any condition of
the nonimmigrant’s authorization under this
chapter to remain in the United States.
(VI) This clause shall not be construed as superseding clause (viii).
(viii) It is a failure to meet a condition of
paragraph (1)(A) for an employer who has filed
an application under this subsection to fail to
offer to an H–1B nonimmigrant, during the nonimmigrant’s period of authorized employment,
benefits and eligibility for benefits (including
the opportunity to participate in health, life,
disability, and other insurance plans; the opportunity to participate in retirement and savings
plans; and cash bonuses and noncash compensation, such as stock options (whether or not
based on performance)) on the same basis, and in
accordance with the same criteria, as the employer offers to United States workers.
(D) If the Secretary finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that an employer has
not paid wages at the wage level specified under
the application and required under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall order the employer to
provide for payment of such amounts of back
pay as may be required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1), whether or not a
penalty under subparagraph (C) has been imposed.
(E) If an H–1B-dependent employer places a
nonexempt H–1B nonimmigrant with another
employer as provided under paragraph (1)(F) and
the other employer has displaced or displaces a
United States worker employed by such other
employer during the period described in such
paragraph, such displacement shall be considered for purposes of this paragraph a failure, by
the placing employer, to meet a condition specified in an application submitted under paragraph (1); except that the Attorney General may
impose a sanction described in subclause (II) of
subparagraph (C)(i), (C)(ii), or (C)(iii) only if the
Secretary of Labor found that such placing employer—
(i) knew or had reason to know of such displacement at the time of the placement of the
nonimmigrant with the other employer; or
(ii) has been subject to a sanction under this
subparagraph based upon a previous placement
of an H–1B nonimmigrant with the same other
employer.
(F) The Secretary may, on a case-by-case
basis, subject an employer to random investigations for a period of up to 5 years, beginning on
the date (on or after October 21, 1998) on which
the employer is found by the Secretary to have
committed a willful failure to meet a condition
of paragraph (1) (or has been found under paragraph (5) to have committed a willful failure to
meet the condition of paragraph (1)(G)(i)(II)) or
to have made a willful misrepresentation of material fact in an application. The preceding sentence shall apply to an employer regardless of

Page 142

whether or not the employer is an H–1B-dependent employer. The authority of the Secretary
under this subparagraph shall not be construed
to be subject to, or limited by, the requirements
of subparagraph (A).
(G)(i) The Secretary of Labor may initiate an
investigation of any employer that employs
nonimmigrants
described
in
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title if the Secretary
of Labor has reasonable cause to believe that
the employer is not in compliance with this subsection. In the case of an investigation under
this clause, the Secretary of Labor (or the acting Secretary in the case of the absence of 9 disability of the Secretary of Labor) shall personally certify that reasonable cause exists and
shall approve commencement of the investigation. The investigation may be initiated for reasons other than completeness and obvious inaccuracies by the employer in complying with this
subsection.
(ii) If the Secretary of Labor receives specific
credible information from a source who is likely
to have knowledge of an employer’s practices or
employment conditions, or an employer’s compliance with the employer’s labor condition application under paragraph (1), and whose identity is known to the Secretary of Labor, and
such information provides reasonable cause to
believe that the employer has committed a willful failure to meet a condition of paragraph
(1)(A), (1)(B), (1)(C), (1)(E), (1)(F), or (1)(G)(i)(I),
has engaged in a pattern or practice of failures
to meet such a condition, or has committed a
substantial failure to meet such a condition
that affects multiple employees, the Secretary
of Labor may conduct an investigation into the
alleged failure or failures. The Secretary of
Labor may withhold the identity of the source
from the employer, and the source’s identity
shall not be subject to disclosure under section
552 of title 5.
(iii) The Secretary of Labor shall establish a
procedure for any person desiring to provide to
the Secretary of Labor information described in
clause (ii) that may be used, in whole or in part,
as the basis for the commencement of an investigation described in such clause, to provide the
information in writing on a form developed and
provided by the Secretary of Labor and completed by or on behalf of the person. The person
may not be an officer or employee of the Department of Labor, unless the information satisfies
the requirement of clause (iv)(II) (although an
officer or employee of the Department of Labor
may complete the form on behalf of the person).
(iv) Any investigation initiated or approved by
the Secretary of Labor under clause (ii) shall be
based on information that satisfies the requirements of such clause and that—
(I) originates from a source other than an officer or employee of the Department of Labor;
or
(II) was lawfully obtained by the Secretary
of Labor in the course of lawfully conducting
another Department of Labor investigation
under this chapter of 9 any other Act.
(v) The receipt by the Secretary of Labor of
information submitted by an employer to the
9 So

in original. Probably should be ‘‘or’’.

Page 143

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

Attorney General or the Secretary of Labor for
purposes of securing the employment of a nonimmigrant
described
in
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title shall not be considered a receipt of information for purposes of
clause (ii).
(vi) No investigation described in clause (ii)
(or hearing described in clause (viii) based on
such investigation) may be conducted with respect to information about a failure to meet a
condition described in clause (ii), unless the Secretary of Labor receives the information not
later than 12 months after the date of the alleged failure.
(vii) The Secretary of Labor shall provide notice to an employer with respect to whom there
is reasonable cause to initiate an investigation
described in clauses 10 (i) or (ii), prior to the
commencement of an investigation under such
clauses, of the intent to conduct an investigation. The notice shall be provided in such a manner, and shall contain sufficient detail, to permit the employer to respond to the allegations
before an investigation is commenced. The Secretary of Labor is not required to comply with
this clause if the Secretary of Labor determines
that to do so would interfere with an effort by
the Secretary of Labor to secure compliance by
the employer with the requirements of this subsection. There shall be no judicial review of a
determination by the Secretary of Labor under
this clause.
(viii) An investigation under clauses 10 (i) or
(ii) may be conducted for a period of up to 60
days. If the Secretary of Labor determines after
such an investigation that a reasonable basis exists to make a finding that the employer has
committed a willful failure to meet a condition
of paragraph (1)(A), (1)(B), (1)(C), (1)(E), (1)(F), or
(1)(G)(i)(I), has engaged in a pattern or practice
of failures to meet such a condition, or has committed a substantial failure to meet such a condition that affects multiple employees, the Secretary of Labor shall provide for notice of such
determination to the interested parties and an
opportunity for a hearing in accordance with
section 556 of title 5 within 120 days after the
date of the determination. If such a hearing is
requested, the Secretary of Labor shall make a
finding concerning the matter by not later than
120 days after the date of the hearing.
(H)(i) Except as provided in clauses (ii) and
(iii), a person or entity is considered to have
complied with the requirements of this subsection, notwithstanding a technical or procedural failure to meet such requirements, if there
was a good faith attempt to comply with the requirements.
(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply if—
(I) the Department of Labor (or another enforcement agency) has explained to the person
or entity the basis for the failure;
(II) the person or entity has been provided a
period of not less than 10 business days (beginning after the date of the explanation) within
which to correct the failure; and
(III) the person or entity has not corrected
the failure voluntarily within such period.
(iii) A person or entity that, in the course of
an investigation, is found to have violated the
10 So

in original. Probably should be ‘‘clause’’.

§ 1182

prevailing wage requirements set forth in paragraph (1)(A), shall not be assessed fines or other
penalties for such violation if the person or entity can establish that the manner in which the
prevailing wage was calculated was consistent
with recognized industry standards and practices.
(iv) Clauses (i) and (iii) shall not apply to a
person or entity that has engaged in or is engaging in a pattern or practice of willful violations
of this subsection.
(I) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as superseding or preempting any other
enforcement-related authority under this chapter (such as the authorities under section 1324b
of this title), or any other Act.
(3)(A) For purposes of this subsection, the
term ‘‘H–1B-dependent employer’’ means an employer that—
(i)(I) has 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees who are employed in the United
States; and (II) employs more than 7 H–1B
nonimmigrants;
(ii)(I) has at least 26 but not more than 50
full-time equivalent employees who are employed in the United States; and (II) employs
more than 12 H–1B nonimmigrants; or
(iii)(I) has at least 51 full-time equivalent
employees who are employed in the United
States; and (II) employs H–1B nonimmigrants
in a number that is equal to at least 15 percent
of the number of such full-time equivalent employees.
(B) For purposes of this subsection—
(i) the term ‘‘exempt H–1B nonimmigrant’’
means an H–1B nonimmigrant who—
(I) receives wages (including cash bonuses
and similar compensation) at an annual rate
equal to at least $60,000; or
(II) has attained a master’s or higher degree (or its equivalent) in a specialty related
to the intended employment; and
(ii) the term ‘‘nonexempt H–1B nonimmigrant’’ means an H–1B nonimmigrant
who is not an exempt H–1B nonimmigrant.
(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A)—
(i) in computing the number of full-time
equivalent employees and the number of H–1B
nonimmigrants, exempt H–1B nonimmigrants
shall not be taken into account during the
longer of—
(I) the 6-month period beginning on October 21, 1998; or
(II) the period beginning on October 21,
1998, and ending on the date final regulations
are issued to carry out this paragraph; and
(ii) any group treated as a single employer
under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of section
414 of title 26 shall be treated as a single employer.
(4) For purposes of this subsection:
(A) The term ‘‘area of employment’’ means
the area within normal commuting distance of
the worksite or physical location where the
work of the H–1B nonimmigrant is or will be
performed. If such worksite or location is
within a Metropolitan Statistical Area, any
place within such area is deemed to be within
the area of employment.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

(B) In the case of an application with respect
to one or more H–1B nonimmigrants by an employer, the employer is considered to ‘‘displace’’ a United States worker from a job if
the employer lays off the worker from a job
that is essentially the equivalent of the job for
which the nonimmigrant or nonimmigrants is
or are sought. A job shall not be considered to
be essentially equivalent of another job unless
it involves essentially the same responsibilities, was held by a United States worker with
substantially equivalent qualifications and experience, and is located in the same area of
employment as the other job.
(C) The term ‘‘H–1B nonimmigrant’’ means
an alien admitted or provided status as a
nonimmigrant
described
in
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title.
(D)(i) The term ‘‘lays off’’, with respect to a
worker—
(I) means to cause the worker’s loss of employment, other than through a discharge
for inadequate performance, violation of
workplace rules, cause, voluntary departure,
voluntary retirement, or the expiration of a
grant or contract (other than a temporary
employment contract entered into in order
to evade a condition described in subparagraph (E) or (F) of paragraph (1)); but
(II) does not include any situation in
which the worker is offered, as an alternative to such loss of employment, a similar
employment opportunity with the same employer (or, in the case of a placement of a
worker with another employer under paragraph (1)(F), with either employer described
in such paragraph) at equivalent or higher
compensation and benefits than the position
from which the employee was discharged, regardless of whether or not the employee accepts the offer.
(ii) Nothing in this subparagraph is intended
to limit an employee’s rights under a collective bargaining agreement or other employment contract.
(E) The term ‘‘United States worker’’ means
an employee who—
(i) is a citizen or national of the United
States; or
(ii) is an alien who is lawfully admitted for
permanent residence, is admitted as a refugee under section 1157 of this title, is granted asylum under section 1158 of this title, or
is an immigrant otherwise authorized, by
this chapter or by the Attorney General, to
be employed.
(5)(A) This paragraph shall apply instead of
subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (2)
in the case of a violation described in subparagraph (B), but shall not be construed to limit or
affect the authority of the Secretary or the Attorney General with respect to any other violation.
(B) The Attorney General shall establish a
process for the receipt, initial review, and disposition in accordance with this paragraph of
complaints respecting an employer’s failure to
meet the condition of paragraph (1)(G)(i)(II) or a
petitioner’s misrepresentation of material facts
with respect to such condition. Complaints may

Page 144

be filed by an aggrieved individual who has submitted a resume or otherwise applied in a reasonable manner for the job that is the subject of
the condition. No proceeding shall be conducted
under this paragraph on a complaint concerning
such a failure or misrepresentation unless the
Attorney General determines that the complaint was filed not later than 12 months after
the date of the failure or misrepresentation, respectively.
(C) If the Attorney General finds that a complaint has been filed in accordance with subparagraph (B) and there is reasonable cause to
believe that such a failure or misrepresentation
described in such complaint has occurred, the
Attorney General shall initiate binding arbitration proceedings by requesting the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to appoint an
arbitrator from the roster of arbitrators maintained by such Service. The procedure and rules
of such Service shall be applicable to the selection of such arbitrator and to such arbitration
proceedings. The Attorney General shall pay the
fee and expenses of the arbitrator.
(D)(i) The arbitrator shall make findings respecting whether a failure or misrepresentation
described in subparagraph (B) occurred. If the
arbitrator concludes that failure or misrepresentation was willful, the arbitrator shall make a
finding to that effect. The arbitrator may not
find such a failure or misrepresentation (or that
such a failure or misrepresentation was willful)
unless the complainant demonstrates such a
failure or misrepresentation (or its willful character) by clear and convincing evidence. The arbitrator shall transmit the findings in the form
of a written opinion to the parties to the arbitration and the Attorney General. Such findings
shall be final and conclusive, and, except as provided in this subparagraph, no official or court
of the United States shall have power or jurisdiction to review any such findings.
(ii) The Attorney General may review and reverse or modify the findings of an arbitrator
only on the same bases as an award of an arbitrator may be vacated or modified under section
10 or 11 of title 9.
(iii) With respect to the findings of an arbitrator, a court may review only the actions of the
Attorney General under clause (ii) and may set
aside such actions only on the grounds described
in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section
706(a)(2) of title 5. Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, such judicial review may only
be brought in an appropriate United States
court of appeals.
(E) If the Attorney General receives a finding
of an arbitrator under this paragraph that an
employer has failed to meet the condition of
paragraph (1)(G)(i)(II) or has misrepresented a
material fact with respect to such condition, unless the Attorney General reverses or modifies
the finding under subparagraph (D)(ii)—
(i) the Attorney General may impose administrative remedies (including civil monetary
penalties in an amount not to exceed $1,000 per
violation or $5,000 per violation in the case of
a willful failure or misrepresentation) as the
Attorney General determines to be appropriate; and
(ii) the Attorney General is authorized to
not approve petitions filed, with respect to

Page 145

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

that employer and for aliens to be employed
by the employer, under section 1154 or 1184(c)
of this title—
(I) during a period of not more than 1 year;
or
(II) in the case of a willful failure or willful misrepresentation, during a period of not
more than 2 years.
(F) The Attorney General shall not delegate,
to any other employee or official of the Department of Justice, any function of the Attorney
General under this paragraph, until 60 days after
the Attorney General has submitted a plan for
such delegation to the Committees on the Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.
(o) Omitted
(p) Computation of prevailing wage level
(1) In computing the prevailing wage level for
an occupational classification in an area of employment for purposes of subsections (a)(5)(A),
(n)(1)(A)(i)(II), and (t)(1)(A)(i)(II) of this section
in the case of an employee of—
(A) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 1001(a) of title 20), or a related
or affiliated nonprofit entity; or
(B) a nonprofit research organization or a
Governmental research organization,
the prevailing wage level shall only take into
account employees at such institutions and organizations in the area of employment.
(2) With respect to a professional athlete (as
defined in subsection (a)(5)(A)(iii)(II) of this section) when the job opportunity is covered by
professional sports league rules or regulations,
the wage set forth in those rules or regulations
shall be considered as not adversely affecting
the wages of United States workers similarly
employed and be considered the prevailing wage.
(3) The prevailing wage required to be paid
pursuant to subsections (a)(5)(A), (n)(1)(A)(i)(II),
and (t)(1)(A)(i)(II) of this section shall be 100 percent of the wage determined pursuant to those
sections.
(4) Where the Secretary of Labor uses, or
makes available to employers, a governmental
survey to determine the prevailing wage, such
survey shall provide at least 4 levels of wages
commensurate with experience, education, and
the level of supervision. Where an existing government survey has only 2 levels, 2 intermediate
levels may be created by dividing by 3, the difference between the 2 levels offered, adding the
quotient thus obtained to the first level and subtracting that quotient from the second level.
(q) Academic honoraria
Any alien admitted under section 1101(a)(15)(B)
of this title may accept an honorarium payment
and associated incidental expenses for a usual
academic activity or activities (lasting not
longer than 9 days at any single institution), as
defined by the Attorney General in consultation
with the Secretary of Education, if such payment is offered by an institution or organization
described in subsection (p)(1) of this section and
is made for services conducted for the benefit of
that institution or entity and if the alien has
not accepted such payment or expenses from

§ 1182

more than 5 institutions or organizations in the
previous 6-month period.
(r) Exception for certain alien nurses
Subsection (a)(5)(C) of this section shall not
apply to an alien who seeks to enter the United
States for the purpose of performing labor as a
nurse who presents to the consular officer (or in
the case of an adjustment of status, the Attorney General) a certified statement from the
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing
Schools (or an equivalent independent credentialing organization approved for the certification of nurses under subsection (a)(5)(C) of
this section by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services) that—
(1) the alien has a valid and unrestricted license as a nurse in a State where the alien intends to be employed and such State verifies
that the foreign licenses of alien nurses are
authentic and unencumbered;
(2) the alien has passed the National Council
Licensure Examination (NCLEX);
(3) the alien is a graduate of a nursing program—
(A) in which the language of instruction
was English;
(B) located in a country—
(i) designated by such commission not
later than 30 days after November 12, 1999,
based on such commission’s assessment
that the quality of nursing education in
that country, and the English language
proficiency of those who complete such
programs in that country, justify the
country’s designation; or
(ii) designated on the basis of such an assessment by unanimous agreement of such
commission and any equivalent credentialing organizations which have been approved under subsection (a)(5)(C) of this
section for the certification of nurses
under this subsection; and
(C)(i) which was in operation on or before
November 12, 1999; or
(ii) has been approved by unanimous agreement of such commission and any equivalent
credentialing organizations which have been
approved under subsection (a)(5)(C) of this
section for the certification of nurses under
this subsection.
(s) Consideration of benefits received as battered
alien in determination of inadmissibility as
likely to become public charge
In determining whether an alien described in
subsection (a)(4)(C)(i) of this section is inadmissible under subsection (a)(4) of this section or ineligible to receive an immigrant visa or otherwise to adjust to the status of permanent resident by reason of subsection (a)(4) of this section, the consular officer or the Attorney General shall not consider any benefits the alien
may have received that were authorized under
section 1641(c) of this title.
(t) 11 Nonimmigrant professionals; labor attestations
(1) No alien may be admitted or provided
status as a nonimmigrant under section
11 So

in original. Two subsecs. (t) have been enacted.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title in an occupational
classification unless the employer has filed with
the Secretary of Labor an attestation stating
the following:
(A) The employer—
(i) is offering and will offer during the period of authorized employment to aliens admitted or provided status under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title wages that are
at least—
(I) the actual wage level paid by the employer to all other individuals with similar
experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question; or
(II) the prevailing wage level for the occupational classification in the area of employment,
whichever is greater, based on the best information available as of the time of filing the
attestation; and
(ii) will provide working conditions for
such a nonimmigrant that will not adversely
affect the working conditions of workers
similarly employed.
(B) There is not a strike or lockout in the
course of a labor dispute in the occupational
classification at the place of employment.
(C) The employer, at the time of filing the
attestation—
(i) has provided notice of the filing under
this paragraph to the bargaining representative (if any) of the employer’s employees in
the occupational classification and area for
which aliens are sought; or
(ii) if there is no such bargaining representative, has provided notice of filing in
the occupational classification through such
methods as physical posting in conspicuous
locations at the place of employment or
electronic notification to employees in the
occupational classification for which nonimmigrants
under
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title are sought.
(D) A specification of the number of workers
sought, the occupational classification in
which the workers will be employed, and wage
rate and conditions under which they will be
employed.
(2)(A) The employer shall make available for
public examination, within one working day
after the date on which an attestation under
this subsection is filed, at the employer’s principal place of business or worksite, a copy of
each such attestation (and such accompanying
documents as are necessary).
(B)(i) The Secretary of Labor shall compile, on
a current basis, a list (by employer and by occupational classification) of the attestations filed
under this subsection. Such list shall include,
with respect to each attestation, the wage rate,
number of aliens sought, period of intended employment, and date of need.
(ii) The Secretary of Labor shall make such
list available for public examination in Washington, D.C.
(C) The Secretary of Labor shall review an attestation filed under this subsection only for

Page 146

completeness and obvious inaccuracies. Unless
the Secretary of Labor finds that an attestation
is incomplete or obviously inaccurate, the Secretary of Labor shall provide the certification
described in section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this
title or section 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title
within 7 days of the date of the filing of the attestation.
(3)(A) The Secretary of Labor shall establish a
process for the receipt, investigation, and disposition of complaints respecting the failure of
an employer to meet a condition specified in an
attestation submitted under this subsection or
misrepresentation by the employer of material
facts in such an attestation. Complaints may be
filed by any aggrieved person or organization
(including bargaining representatives). No investigation or hearing shall be conducted on a complaint concerning such a failure or misrepresentation unless the complaint was filed not later
than 12 months after the date of the failure or
misrepresentation, respectively. The Secretary
of Labor shall conduct an investigation under
this paragraph if there is reasonable cause to believe that such a failure or misrepresentation
has occurred.
(B) Under the process described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Labor shall provide,
within 30 days after the date a complaint is
filed, for a determination as to whether or not a
reasonable basis exists to make a finding described in subparagraph (C). If the Secretary of
Labor determines that such a reasonable basis
exists, the Secretary of Labor shall provide for
notice of such determination to the interested
parties and an opportunity for a hearing on the
complaint, in accordance with section 556 of
title 5, within 60 days after the date of the determination. If such a hearing is requested, the
Secretary of Labor shall make a finding concerning the matter by not later than 60 days
after the date of the hearing. In the case of similar complaints respecting the same applicant,
the Secretary of Labor may consolidate the
hearings under this subparagraph on such complaints.
(C)(i) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, a failure to
meet a condition of paragraph (1)(B), a substantial failure to meet a condition of paragraph
(1)(C) or (1)(D), or a misrepresentation of material fact in an attestation—
(I) the Secretary of Labor shall notify the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security of such finding and may, in addition, impose such other administrative remedies (including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $1,000 per violation) as
the Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate; and
(II) the Secretary of State or the Secretary
of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall
not approve petitions or applications filed
with respect to that employer under section
1154,
1184(c),
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1),
or
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title during a period of
at least 1 year for aliens to be employed by the
employer.
(ii) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1), a will-

Page 147

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

ful misrepresentation of material fact in an attestation, or a violation of clause (iv)—
(I) the Secretary of Labor shall notify the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security of such finding and may, in addition, impose such other administrative remedies (including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $5,000 per violation) as
the Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate; and
(II) the Secretary of State or the Secretary
of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall
not approve petitions or applications filed
with respect to that employer under section
1154,
1184(c),
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1),
or
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title during a period of
at least 2 years for aliens to be employed by
the employer.
(iii) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1) or a
willful misrepresentation of material fact in an
attestation, in the course of which failure or
misrepresentation the employer displaced a
United States worker employed by the employer
within the period beginning 90 days before and
ending 90 days after the date of filing of any visa
petition or application supported by the attestation—
(I) the Secretary of Labor shall notify the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security of such finding and may, in addition, impose such other administrative remedies (including civil monetary penalties in an
amount not to exceed $35,000 per violation) as
the Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate; and
(II) the Secretary of State or the Secretary
of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall
not approve petitions or applications filed
with respect to that employer under section
1154,
1184(c),
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1),
or
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title during a period of
at least 3 years for aliens to be employed by
the employer.
(iv) It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an attestation under this
subsection to intimidate, threaten, restrain, coerce, blacklist, discharge, or in any other manner discriminate against an employee (which
term, for purposes of this clause, includes a
former employee and an applicant for employment) because the employee has disclosed information to the employer, or to any other person,
that the employee reasonably believes evidences
a violation of this subsection, or any rule or regulation pertaining to this subsection, or because
the employee cooperates or seeks to cooperate
in an investigation or other proceeding concerning the employer’s compliance with the requirements of this subsection or any rule or regulation pertaining to this subsection.
(v) The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary
of Homeland Security shall devise a process
under which a nonimmigrant under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title who files a complaint regarding a violation of clause (iv) and is
otherwise eligible to remain and work in the
United States may be allowed to seek other ap-

§ 1182

propriate employment in the United States for a
period not to exceed the maximum period of
stay authorized for such nonimmigrant classification.
(vi)(I) It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an attestation under this
subsection to require a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title to pay a penalty
for ceasing employment with the employer prior
to a date agreed to by the nonimmigrant and the
employer. The Secretary of Labor shall determine whether a required payment is a penalty
(and not liquidated damages) pursuant to relevant State law.
(II) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that an employer has committed a violation of this clause,
the Secretary of Labor may impose a civil monetary penalty of $1,000 for each such violation
and issue an administrative order requiring the
return to the nonimmigrant of any amount paid
in violation of this clause, or, if the nonimmigrant cannot be located, requiring payment of any such amount to the general fund of
the Treasury.
(vii)(I) It is a failure to meet a condition of
paragraph (1)(A) for an employer who has filed
an attestation under this subsection and who
places
a
nonimmigrant
under
section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title designated as a
full-time employee in the attestation, after the
nonimmigrant has entered into employment
with the employer, in nonproductive status due
to a decision by the employer (based on factors
such as lack of work), or due to the nonimmigrant’s lack of a permit or license, to fail to pay
the nonimmigrant full-time wages in accordance
with paragraph (1)(A) for all such nonproductive
time.
(II) It is a failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1)(A) for an employer who has filed an attestation under this subsection and who places a
nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1)
of this title or section 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this
title designated as a part-time employee in the
attestation, after the nonimmigrant has entered
into employment with the employer, in nonproductive status under circumstances described
in subclause (I), to fail to pay such a nonimmigrant for such hours as are designated on
the attestation consistent with the rate of pay
identified on the attestation.
(III) In the case of a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title who has not yet entered into employment with an employer who
has had approved an attestation under this subsection with respect to the nonimmigrant, the
provisions of subclauses (I) and (II) shall apply
to the employer beginning 30 days after the date
the nonimmigrant first is admitted into the
United States, or 60 days after the date the nonimmigrant becomes eligible to work for the employer in the case of a nonimmigrant who is
present in the United States on the date of the
approval of the attestation filed with the Secretary of Labor.
(IV) This clause does not apply to a failure to
pay wages to a nonimmigrant under section

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title for nonproductive
time due to non-work-related factors, such as
the voluntary request of the nonimmigrant for
an absence or circumstances rendering the nonimmigrant unable to work.
(V) This clause shall not be construed as prohibiting an employer that is a school or other
educational institution from applying to a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of
this title or section 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title
an established salary practice of the employer,
under which the employer pays to nonimmigrants under section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this
title or section 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title and
United States workers in the same occupational
classification an annual salary in disbursements
over fewer than 12 months, if—
(aa) the nonimmigrant agrees to the compressed annual salary payments prior to the
commencement of the employment; and
(bb) the application of the salary practice to
the nonimmigrant does not otherwise cause
the nonimmigrant to violate any condition of
the nonimmigrant’s authorization under this
chapter to remain in the United States.
(VI) This clause shall not be construed as superseding clause (viii).
(viii) It is a failure to meet a condition of
paragraph (1)(A) for an employer who has filed
an attestation under this subsection to fail to
offer to a nonimmigrant under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title, during the nonimmigrant’s period of authorized employment,
benefits and eligibility for benefits (including
the opportunity to participate in health, life,
disability, and other insurance plans; the opportunity to participate in retirement and savings
plans; and cash bonuses and non-cash compensation, such as stock options (whether or not
based on performance)) on the same basis, and in
accordance with the same criteria, as the employer offers to United States workers.
(D) If the Secretary of Labor finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that an employer has not paid wages at the wage level
specified in the attestation and required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Labor shall order
the employer to provide for payment of such
amounts of back pay as may be required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1),
whether or not a penalty under subparagraph (C)
has been imposed.
(E) The Secretary of Labor may, on a case-bycase basis, subject an employer to random investigations for a period of up to 5 years, beginning
on the date on which the employer is found by
the Secretary of Labor to have committed a
willful failure to meet a condition of paragraph
(1) or to have made a willful misrepresentation
of material fact in an attestation. The authority
of the Secretary of Labor under this subparagraph shall not be construed to be subject to, or
limited by, the requirements of subparagraph
(A).
(F) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as superseding or preempting any other
enforcement-related authority under this chapter (such as the authorities under section 1324b
of this title), or any other Act.

Page 148

(4) For purposes of this subsection:
(A) The term ‘‘area of employment’’ means
the area within normal commuting distance of
the worksite or physical location where the
work of the nonimmigrant under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title is or will be performed. If such worksite or location is within
a Metropolitan Statistical Area, any place
within such area is deemed to be within the
area of employment.
(B) In the case of an attestation with respect
to one or more nonimmigrants under section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title or section
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title by an employer,
the employer is considered to ‘‘displace’’ a
United States worker from a job if the employer lays off the worker from a job that is
essentially the equivalent of the job for which
the nonimmigrant or nonimmigrants is or are
sought. A job shall not be considered to be essentially equivalent of another job unless it
involves essentially the same responsibilities,
was held by a United States worker with substantially equivalent qualifications and experience, and is located in the same area of employment as the other job.
(C)(i) The term ‘‘lays off’’, with respect to a
worker—
(I) means to cause the worker’s loss of employment, other than through a discharge
for inadequate performance, violation of
workplace rules, cause, voluntary departure,
voluntary retirement, or the expiration of a
grant or contract; but
(II) does not include any situation in
which the worker is offered, as an alternative to such loss of employment, a similar
employment opportunity with the same employer at equivalent or higher compensation
and benefits than the position from which
the employee was discharged, regardless of
whether or not the employee accepts the
offer.
(ii) Nothing in this subparagraph is intended
to limit an employee’s rights under a collective bargaining agreement or other employment contract.
(D) The term ‘‘United States worker’’ means
an employee who—
(i) is a citizen or national of the United
States; or
(ii) is an alien who is lawfully admitted for
permanent residence, is admitted as a refugee under section 1157 of this title, is granted asylum under section 1158 of this title, or
is an immigrant otherwise authorized, by
this chapter or by the Secretary of Homeland Security, to be employed.
(t) 12 Foreign residence requirement
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no person admitted under section 1101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I) of
this title, or acquiring such status after admission, shall be eligible to apply for nonimmigrant
status, an immigrant visa, or permanent residence under this chapter until it is established
that such person has resided and been physically
present in the person’s country of nationality or
12 So

in original. Two subsecs. (t) have been enacted.

Page 149

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

last residence for an aggregate of at least 2
years following departure from the United
States.
(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security may
waive the requirement of such 2-year foreign
residence abroad if the Secretary determines
that—
(A) departure from the United States would
impose exceptional hardship upon the alien’s
spouse or child (if such spouse or child is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence); or
(B) the admission of the alien is in the public interest or the national interest of the
United States.
(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 2, § 212, 66 Stat.
182; July 18, 1956, ch. 629, title III, § 301 (a), 70
Stat. 575; Pub. L. 85–508, § 23, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat.
351; Pub. L. 86–3, § 20(b), Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 13;
Pub. L. 86–648, § 8, July 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 505; Pub.
L. 87–256, § 109(c), Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 535; Pub.
L. 87–301, §§ 11–15, Sept. 26, 1961, 75 Stat. 654, 655;
Pub. L. 89–236, §§ 10, 15, Oct. 3, 1965, 79 Stat. 917,
919; Pub. L. 91–225, § 2, Apr. 7, 1970, 84 Stat. 116;
Pub. L. 94–484, title VI, § 601(a), (c), (d), Oct. 12,
1976, 90 Stat. 2300, 2301; Pub. L. 94–571, §§ 5, 7(d),
Oct. 20, 1976, 90 Stat. 2705, 2706; Pub. L. 95–83,
title III, § 307(q)(1), (2), Aug. 1, 1977, 91 Stat. 394;
Pub. L. 95–549, title I, §§ 101, 102, Oct. 30, 1978, 92
Stat. 2065; Pub. L. 96–70, title III, § 3201(b), Sept.
27, 1979, 93 Stat. 497; Pub. L. 96–212, title II,
§ 203(d), (f), Mar. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 107; Pub. L.
96–538, title IV, § 404, Dec. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 3192;
Pub. L. 97–116, §§ 4, 5(a)(1), (2), (b), 18(e), Dec. 29,
1981, 95 Stat. 1611, 1612, 1620; Pub. L. 98–454, title
VI, § 602[(a)], Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1737; Pub. L.
98–473, title II, § 220(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2028;
Pub. L. 99–396, § 14(a), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 842;
Pub. L. 99–570, title I, § 1751(a), Oct. 27, 1986, 100
Stat. 3207–47; Pub. L. 99–639, § 6(a), Nov. 10, 1986,
100 Stat. 3543; Pub. L. 99–653, § 7(a), Nov. 14, 1986,
100 Stat. 3657; Pub. L. 100–204, title VIII, § 806(c),
Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1399; Pub. L. 100–525,
§§ 3(1)(A), 7(c)(1), (3), 8(f), 9(i), Oct. 24, 1988, 102
Stat. 2614, 2616, 2617, 2620; Pub. L. 100–690, title
VII, § 7349(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4473; Pub. L.
101–238, § 3(b), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2100; Pub. L.
101–246, title I, § 131(a), (c), Feb. 16, 1990, 104 Stat.
31; Pub. L. 101–649, title I, § 162(e)(1), (f)(2)(B),
title II, §§ 202(b), 205(c)(3), title V, §§ 511(a), 514(a),
title VI, § 601(a), (b), (d), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat.
5011, 5012, 5014, 5020, 5052, 5053, 5067, 5075; Pub. L.
102–232, title III, §§ 302(e)(6), (9), 303(a)(5)(B), (6),
(7)(B), 306(a)(10), (12), 307(a)–(g), 309(b)(7), Dec. 12,
1991, 105 Stat. 1746, 1747, 1751, 1753–1755, 1759; Pub.
L. 103–43, title XX, § 2007(a), June 10, 1993, 107
Stat. 210; Pub. L. 103–317, title V, § 506(a), Aug.
26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1765; Pub. L. 103–322, title XIII,
§ 130003(b)(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2024; Pub. L.
103–416, title II, §§ 203(a), 219(e), (z)(1), (5), 220(a),
Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4311, 4316, 4318, 4319; Pub.
L. 104–132, title IV, §§ 411, 412, 440(d), Apr. 24, 1996,
110 Stat. 1268, 1269, 1277; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C,
title I, § 124(b)(1), title III, §§ 301(b)(1), (c)(1),
304(b), 305(c), 306(d), 308(c)(2)(B), (d)(1), (e)(1)(B),
(C), (2)(A), (6), (f)(1)(C)–(F), (3)(A), (g)(1), (4)(B),
(10)(A), (H), 322(a)(2)(B), 341(a), (b), 342(a), 343,
344(a), 345(a), 346(a), 347(a), 348(a), 349, 351(a),
352(a), 355, title V, § 531(a), title VI, §§ 602(a),
622(b), 624(a), 671(e)(3), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat.
3009–562, 3009–576, 3009–578, 3009–597, 3009–607,

§ 1182

3009–612, 3009–616, 3009–619 to 3009–622, 3009–625,
3009–629, 3009–635 to 3009–641, 3009–644, 3009–674,
3009–689, 3009–695, 3009–698, 3009–723; Pub. L.
105–73, § 1, Nov. 12, 1997, 111 Stat. 1459; Pub. L.
105–277, div. C, title IV, §§ 412(a)–(c), 413(a)–(e)(1),
(f), 415(a), 431(a), div. G, subdiv. B, title XXII,
§ 2226(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–642 to
2681–651, 2681–654, 2681–658, 2681–820; Pub. L.
105–292, title VI, § 604(a), Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat.
2814; Pub. L. 106–95, §§ 2(b), 4(a), Nov. 12, 1999, 113
Stat. 1312, 1317; Pub. L. 106–120, title VIII, § 809,
Dec. 3, 1999, 113 Stat. 1632; Pub. L. 106–313, title
I, §§ 106(c)(2), 107(a), Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1254,
1255; Pub. L. 106–386, div. A, §§ 107(e)(3), 111(d),
div. B, title V, §§ 1505(a), (c)(1), (d)–(f), 1513(e),
Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1478, 1485, 1525, 1526, 1536;
Pub. L. 106–395, title II, § 201(b)(1), (2), Oct. 30,
2000, 114 Stat. 1633, 1634; Pub. L. 106–396, title I,
§ 101(b)(1), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1638; Pub. L.
107–56, title IV, § 411(a), title X, § 1006(a), Oct. 26,
2001, 115 Stat. 345, 394; Pub. L. 107–150, § 2(a)(2),
Mar. 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 74; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C,
title I, § 11018(c), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1825; Pub.
L. 108–77, title IV, § 402(b), (c), Sept. 3, 2003, 117
Stat. 940, 946; Pub. L. 108–193, §§ 4(b)(4), 8(a)(2),
Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2879, 2886; Pub. L. 108–447,
div. J, title IV, §§ 422(a), 423, 424(a)(1), (b), Dec. 8,
2004, 118 Stat. 3353–3355; Pub. L. 108–449, § 1(b)(2),
Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3470; Pub. L. 108–458, title
V, §§ 5501(a), 5502(a), 5503, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat.
3740, 3741; Pub. L. 109–13, div. B, title I,
§§ 103(a)–(c), 104, title V, § 501(d), May 11, 2005, 119
Stat. 306–309, 322; Pub. L. 109–162, title VIII, § 802,
Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3054; Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b),
Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 762; Pub. L. 110–161, div. J,
title VI, § 691(a), (c), Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2364,
2365; Pub. L. 110–229, title VII, § 702(b)(2), (3), (d),
May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 860, 862; Pub. L. 110–293,
title III, § 305, July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2963; Pub.
L. 110–340, § 2(b), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3736; Pub.
L. 110–457, title II, §§ 222(f)(1), 234, Dec. 23, 2008,
122 Stat. 5071, 5074; Pub. L. 111–122, § 3(b), Dec. 22,
2009, 123 Stat. 3481; Pub. L. 111–287, § 2, Nov. 30,
2010, 124 Stat. 3058.)
AMENDMENT OF SECTION
For termination of amendment by section
107(c) of Pub. L. 108–77, see Effective and Termination Dates of 2003 Amendment note below.
REFERENCES IN TEXT
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original,
‘‘this Act’’, meaning act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat.
163, known as the Immigration and Nationality Act,
which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short
Title note set out under section 1101 of this title and
Tables.
Section 3(a) of the Torture Victim Protection Act of
1991, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(E)(iii)(II), is section
3(a) of Pub. L. 102–256, which is set out as a note under
section 1350 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Section 301 of the Immigration Act of 1990, referred to
in subsec. (a)(6)(E)(ii), (9)(B)(iii)(III), is section 301 of
Pub. L. 101–649, which is set out as a note under section
1255a of this title.
Section 112 of the Immigration Act of 1990, referred to
in subsec. (a)(6)(E)(ii), is section 112 of Pub. L. 101–649,
which is set out as a note under section 1153 of this
title.
Section 1184(l) of this title, referred to in subsec.
(a)(6)(G), probably means the subsec. (l) of section 1184,
which relates to nonimmigrant elementary and second-

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

ary school students and was added by Pub. L. 104–208,
div. C, title VI, § 625(a)(1), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat.
3009–699, and redesignated subsec. (m) of section 1184 by
Pub. L. 106–386, div. A, § 107(e)(2)(A), Oct. 28, 2000, 114
Stat. 1478.
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec.
(m)(6)(B), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as
amended. Titles XVIII and XIX of the Act are classified
generally to subchapters XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.) and XIX
(§ 1396 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of Title 42, The
Public Health and Welfare. Part A of title XVIII of the
Act is classified generally to part A (§ 1395c et seq.) of
subchapter XVIII of chapter 7 of Title 42. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305
of Title 42 and Tables.
CODIFICATION
Subsection (j)(3), which required the Director of the
United States Information Agency to transmit an annual report to Congress on aliens submitting affidavits
described in subsection (j)(1)(E) of this section, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of
Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page
193 of House Document No. 103–7.
AMENDMENTS
2010—Subsec. (a)(1)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 111–287 substituted
‘‘subparagraph (F) or (G) of section 1101(b)(1) of this
title;’’ for ‘‘section 1101(b)(1)(F) of this title,’’.
2009—Subsec. (a)(3)(E)(ii). Pub. L. 111–122 struck out
‘‘conduct outside the United States that would, if committed in the United States or by a United States national, be’’ before ‘‘genocide’’.
2008—Subsec. (a)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 110–293 substituted a
semicolon for ‘‘, which shall include infection with the
etiologic agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome,’’.
Subsec. (a)(2)(H)(i). Pub. L. 110–457 substituted ‘‘who
commits or conspires to commit human trafficking offenses in the United States or outside the United
States, or who the consular officer, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Secretary of State,’’ for ‘‘who
is listed in a report submitted pursuant to section
7108(b) of title 22, or who the consular officer’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(G). Pub. L. 110–340 added subpar. (G).
Subsec. (a)(7)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 110–229, § 702(b)(2),
amended cl. (iii) generally. Prior to amendment, text
read as follows: ‘‘For provision authorizing waiver of
clause (i) in the case of visitors to Guam, see subsection (l) of this section.’’
Subsec. (d)(7). Pub. L. 110–229, § 702(d), inserted ‘‘the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,’’ after
‘‘Guam,’’.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 110–229, § 702(b)(3), amended subsec. (l) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (l) consisted of pars. (1) to (3) relating to waiver of requirements for nonimmigrant visitors to Guam.
2007—Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 110–161, § 691(c), substituted ‘‘Subclause (IX)’’ for ‘‘Subclause (VII)’’ in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 110–161, § 691(a), amended
cl. (i) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (i) read as follows: ‘‘The Secretary of State, after consultation with
the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland
Security, or the Secretary of Homeland Security, after
consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, may conclude in such Secretary’s sole unreviewable
discretion
that
subsection
(a)(3)(B)(i)(IV)(bb) or (a)(3)(B)(i)(VII) of this section
shall not apply to an alien, that subsection
(a)(3)(B)(iv)(VI) of this section shall not apply with respect to any material support an alien afforded to an
organization or individual that has engaged in a terrorist activity, or that subsection (a)(3)(B)(vi)(III) of this
section shall not apply to a group solely by virtue of
having a subgroup within the scope of that subsection.
The Secretary of State may not, however, exercise discretion under this clause with respect to an alien once

Page 150

removal proceedings against the alien are instituted
under section 1229a of this title.’’
2006—Subsec.
(a)(4)(C)(i)(I).
Pub.
L.
109–271,
§ 6(b)(1)(A)(i), which directed the amendment of subsec.
(a)(4)(C)(i)(II) by substituting a semicolon for ‘‘, or’’,
was executed to subsec. (a)(4)(C)(i)(I), to reflect the
probable intent of Congress. The quoted matter did not
appear in subsec. (a)(4)(C)(i)(II).
Subsec. (a)(4)(C)(i)(III). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(1)(A)(ii),
added subcl. (III).
Subsec. (a)(6)(A)(ii)(I). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(1)(B),
amended subcl. (I) generally. Prior to amendment,
subcl. (I) read as follows: ‘‘the alien qualifies for immigrant status under subparagraph (A)(iii), (A)(iv), (B)(ii),
or (B)(iii) of section 1154(a)(1) of this title,’’.
Subsec. (a)(9)(B)(iii)(V). Pub. L. 109–162, § 802(a), added
subcl. (V).
Subsec. (a)(9)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(1)(C), substituted ‘‘the Secretary of Homeland Security has consented to the alien’s reapplying for admission.’’ for
‘‘the Attorney General has consented to the alien’s reapplying for admission. The Attorney General in the
Attorney General’s discretion may waive the provisions
of subsection (a)(9)(C)(i) of this section in the case of an
alien to whom the Attorney General has granted classification under clause (iii), (iv), or (v) of section
1154(a)(1)(A) of this title, or classification under clause
(ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 1154(a)(1)(B) of this title, in
any case in which there is a connection between—
‘‘(1) the alien’s having been battered or subjected to
extreme cruelty; and
‘‘(2) the alien’s—
‘‘(A) removal;
‘‘(B) departure from the United States;
‘‘(C) reentry or reentries into the United States;
or
‘‘(D) attempted reentry into the United States.’’
Subsec. (a)(9)(C)(iii). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(1)(C), added
subpar. (iii).
Subsec. (d)(13), (14). Pub. L. 109–162, § 802(b), substituted ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security’’ for ‘‘Attorney General’’ wherever appearing.
Subsec. (g)(1)(C). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(2), amended
subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C)
read as follows: ‘‘qualifies for classification under
clause (iii) or (iv) of section 1154(a)(1)(A) of this title or
classification under clause (ii) or (iii) of section
1154(a)(1)(B) of this title;’’.
Subsec. (h)(1)(C). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(3), amended
subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C)
read as follows: ‘‘the alien qualifies for classification
under clause (iii) or (iv) of section 1154(a)(1)(A) of this
title or classification under clause (ii) or (iii) of section
1154(a)(1)(B) of this title; and’’.
Subsec. (i)(1). Pub. L. 109–271, § 6(b)(4), substituted ‘‘a
VAWA self-petitioner’’ for ‘‘an alien granted classification under clause (iii) or (iv) of section 1154(a)(1)(A) of
this title or clause (ii) or (iii) of section 1154(a)(1)(B) of
this title’’.
2005—Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 109–13, § 103(a), reenacted heading without change and amended first sentence of cl. (i) generally, substituting general provisions relating to inadmissibility of aliens engaging in
terrorist activities for former provisions relating to inadmissibility of any alien who had engaged in a terrorist activity, any alien who a consular officer or the Attorney General knew or reasonably believed had engaged in terrorist activity, any alien who had incited
terrorist activity, any alien who was a representative
of a foreign terrorist organization or group that had
publicly endorsed terrorist acts, any alien who was a
member of a foreign terrorist organization, any alien
who had used the alien’s position of prominence to endorse terrorist activity, and any alien who was the
spouse or child of an alien who had been found inadmissible, if the activity causing the alien to be found inadmissible had occurred within the last 5 years.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iv). Pub. L. 109–13, § 103(b), reenacted
heading without change and amended text of cl. (iv)
generally, substituting provisions defining the term

Page 151

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

‘‘engage in terrorist activity’’ in subcls. (I) to (VI), including provisions relating to demonstration of certain
knowledge by clear and convincing evidence, for provisions defining the term ‘‘engage in terrorist activity’’
in somewhat similar subcls. (I) to (VI) which did not include provisions relating to demonstration of certain
knowledge by clear and convincing evidence.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(vi). Pub. L. 109–13, § 103(c), amended
heading and text of cl. (vi) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘As used in clause (i)(VI)
and clause (iv), the term ‘terrorist organization’ means
an organization—
‘‘(I) designated under section 1189 of this title;
‘‘(II) otherwise designated, upon publication in the
Federal Register, by the Secretary of State in consultation with or upon the request of the Attorney
General, as a terrorist organization, after finding
that the organization engages in the activities described in subclause (I), (II), or (III) of clause (iv), or
that the organization provides material support to
further terrorist activity; or
‘‘(III) that is a group of two or more individuals,
whether organized or not, which engages in the activities described in subclause (I), (II), or (III) of
clause (iv).’’
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 109–13, § 104, designated existing
provisions as subpar. (A), redesignated former subpars.
(A) and (B) as cls. (i) and (ii), respectively, and added
subpar. (B).
Subsec. (t). Pub. L. 109–13, § 501(d)(1), inserted ‘‘or section 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of this title’’ after ‘‘section
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1) of this title’’ wherever appearing.
Subsec. (t)(3)(C)(i)(II), (ii)(II), (iii)(II). Pub. L. 109–13,
§ 501(d)(2),
substituted
‘‘1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1),
or
1101(a)(15)(E)(iii)’’ for ‘‘or 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1)’’.
2004—Subsec. (a)(2)(G). Pub. L. 108–458, § 5502(a),
amended heading and text of subpar. (G) generally.
Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien
who, while serving as a foreign government official,
was responsible for or directly carried out, at any time
during the preceding 24-month period, particularly severe violations of religious freedom, as defined in section 6402 of title 22, and the spouse and children, if any,
are inadmissible.’’
Subsec. (a)(3)(E). Pub. L. 108–458, § 5501(a)(3), which directed substitution of ‘‘Participants in Nazi persecution, genocide, or the commission of any act of torture
or extrajudicial killing’’ for ‘‘Participants in nazi persecution or genocide’’ in heading, was executed by
making the substitution for ‘‘Participants in Nazi persecutions or genocide’’ to reflect the probable intent of
Congress.
Subsec. (a)(3)(E)(ii). Pub. L. 108–458, § 5501(a)(1), substituted ‘‘ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in conduct outside the United States that
would, if committed in the United States or by a
United States national, be genocide, as defined in section 1091(a) of title 18, is inadmissible’’ for ‘‘has engaged in conduct that is defined as genocide for purposes of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide is inadmissible’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(E)(iii). Pub. L. 108–458, § 5501(a)(2), added
cl. (iii).
Subsec. (d)(3)(A), (B). Pub. L. 108–458, § 5503, substituted ‘‘and clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (3)(E)’’
for ‘‘and (3)(E)’’.
Subsec. (n)(1)(E)(ii). Pub. L. 108–447, § 422(a), struck
out ‘‘October 1, 2003,’’ before ‘‘by an H–1B-dependent
employer’’.
Subsec. (n)(2)(G). Pub. L. 108–447, § 424(a)(1), added
subpar. (G).
Subsec. (n)(2)(H), (I). Pub. L. 108–447, § 424(b), added
subpar. (H) and redesignated former subpar. (H) as (I).
Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 108–449, § 1(b)(2)(A), which directed
redesignation of subsec. (p), relating to consideration
of benefits received as battered alien in determination
of inadmissibility as likely to become public charge, as
(s), could not be executed because of the previous temporary redesignation by Pub. L. 108–77, § 402(b)(1). See
2003 Amendment note below.

§ 1182

Subsec. (p)(3), (4). Pub. L. 108–447, § 423, added pars. (3)
and (4).
Subsec. (s). Pub. L. 108–449, § 1(b)(2)(A), which directed
redesignation of subsec. (p), relating to consideration
of benefits received as battered alien in determination
of inadmissibility as likely to become public charge, as
(s), could not be executed because of the previous redesignation by Pub. L. 108–77, § 402(b)(1). See 2003 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (t). Pub. L. 108–449, § 1(b)(2)(B), added subsec.
(t) relating to foreign residence requirement.
2003—Subsec. (d)(13). Pub. L. 108–193, § 8(a)(2), redesignated par. (13), relating to Attorney General’s determination whether a ground for inadmissibility exists
with respect to a nonimmigrant described in section
1101(a)(15)(U) of this title, as (14).
Subsec. (d)(13)(A). Pub. L. 108–193, § 4(b)(4)(A), inserted
‘‘, except that the ground for inadmissibility described
in subsection (a)(4) of this section shall not apply with
respect to such a nonimmigrant’’ before period at end.
Subsec. (d)(13)(B)(i). Pub. L. 108–193, § 4(b)(4)(B)(i),
amended cl. (i) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (i)
read as follows: ‘‘paragraphs (1) and (4) of subsection (a)
of this section; and’’.
Subsec. (d)(13)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 108–193, § 4(b)(4)(B)(ii),
substituted ‘‘subsection (a) of this section’’ for ‘‘such
subsection’’ and inserted ‘‘(4),’’ after ‘‘(3),’’.
Subsec. (d)(14). Pub. L. 108–193, § 8(a)(2), redesignated
par. (13), relating to Attorney General’s determination
whether a ground for inadmissibility exists with respect to a nonimmigrant described in section
1101(a)(15)(U) of this title, as (14).
Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 108–77, §§ 107(c), 402(b)(1), temporarily redesignated subsec. (p), relating to consideration of benefits received as battered alien in determination of inadmissibility as likely to become public
charge, as (s). See Effective and Termination Dates of
2003 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (p)(1). Pub. L. 108–77, §§ 107(c), 402(c), temporarily substituted ‘‘(a)(5)(A), (n)(1)(A)(i)(II), and
(t)(1)(A)(i)(II)’’ for ‘‘(n)(1)(A)(i)(II) and (a)(5)(A)’’. See
Effective and Termination Dates of 2003 Amendment
note below.
Subsec. (s). Pub. L. 108–77, §§ 107(c), 402(b)(1), temporarily redesignated subsec. (p), relating to consideration of benefits received as battered alien in determination of inadmissibility as likely to become public
charge, as (s). See Effective and Termination Dates of
2003 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (t). Pub. L. 108–77, §§ 107(c), 402(b)(2), temporarily added subsec. (t). See Effective and Termination
Dates of 2003 Amendment note below.
2002—Subsec. (a)(4)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 107–150 substituted
‘‘(and any additional sponsor required under section
1183a(f) of this title or any alternative sponsor permitted under paragraph (5)(B) of such section)’’ for
‘‘(including any additional sponsor required under section 1183a(f) of this title)’’.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–273 substituted ‘‘section
1184(l)’’ for ‘‘section 1184(k)’’.
2001—Subsec. (a)(2)(I). Pub. L. 107–56, § 1006(a), added
subpar. (I).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(II). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(C),
substituted ‘‘clause (iv)’’ for ‘‘clause (iii)’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(IV). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(A)(i),
amended subcl. (IV) generally. Prior to amendment,
subcl. (IV) read as follows: ‘‘is a representative (as defined in clause (iv)) of a foreign terrorist organization,
as designated by the Secretary under section 1189 of
this title, or’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(V). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(A)(ii),
inserted ‘‘or’’ after ‘‘section 1189 of this title,’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(VI), (VII). Pub. L. 107–56,
§ 411(a)(1)(A)(iii), which directed addition of subcls. (VI)
and (VII) at end of cl. (i), was executed by making the
addition after subcl. (V) and before concluding provisions of cl. (i) to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(D),
added cl. (ii). Former cl. (ii) redesignated (iii).

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(E)(i),
inserted ‘‘it had been’’ before ‘‘committed in the United
States’’ in introductory provisions.
Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(B), redesignated cl. (ii) as
(iii). Former cl. (iii) redesignated (iv).
Subsec.
(a)(3)(B)(iii)(V)(b).
Pub.
L.
107–56,
§ 411(a)(1)(E)(ii), substituted ‘‘, firearm, or other weapon or dangerous device’’ for ‘‘or firearm’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iv). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(F), reenacted heading without change and amended text of
cl. (iv) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘As used in this chapter, the term ‘engage in terrorist activity’ means to commit, in an individual capacity or as a member of an organization, an act of terrorist activity or an act which the actor knows, or reasonably should know, affords material support to any
individual, organization, or government in conducting
a terrorist activity at any time, including any of the
following acts:
‘‘(I) The preparation or planning of a terrorist activity.
‘‘(II) The gathering of information on potential targets for terrorist activity.
‘‘(III) The providing of any type of material support, including a safe house, transportation, communications, funds, false documentation or identification, weapons, explosives, or training, to any individual the actor knows or has reason to believe has committed or plans to commit a terrorist activity.
‘‘(IV) The soliciting of funds or other things of
value for terrorist activity or for any terrorist organization.
‘‘(V) The solicitation of any individual for membership in a terrorist organization, terrorist government, or to engage in a terrorist activity.’’
Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(B), redesignated cl. (iii) as
(iv). Former cl. (iv) redesignated (v).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(v). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(B), redesignated cl. (iv) as (v).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(vi). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(1)(G),
added cl. (vi).
Subsec. (a)(3)(F). Pub. L. 107–56, § 411(a)(2), added subpar. (F).
2000—Subsec. (a)(2)(H). Pub. L. 106–386, § 111(d), added
subpar. (H).
Subsec. (a)(5)(A)(iv). Pub. L. 106–313, § 106(c)(2), added
cl. (iv).
Subsec. (a)(6)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 106–395, § 201(b)(2), amended heading and text of cl. (ii) generally. Prior to
amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who falsely represents, or has falsely represented, himself or herself to be a citizen of the United States for any purpose
or benefit under this chapter (including section 1324a of
this title) or any other Federal or State law is inadmissible.’’
Subsec. (a)(7)(B)(iv). Pub. L. 106–396 struck out
‘‘pilot’’ before ‘‘program’’ in heading and text.
Subsec. (a)(9)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1505(a), inserted
at end ‘‘The Attorney General in the Attorney General’s discretion may waive the provisions of subsection
(a)(9)(C)(i) of this section in the case of an alien to
whom the Attorney General has granted classification
under clause (iii), (iv), or (v) of section 1154(a)(1)(A) of
this title, or classification under clause (ii), (iii), or (iv)
of section 1154(a)(1)(B) of this title, in any case in which
there is a connection between—’’ and added subcls. (1)
and (2).
Subsec. (a)(10)(D). Pub. L. 106–395, § 201(b)(1), amended
heading and text of subpar. (D) generally. Prior to
amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who has
voted in violation of any Federal, State, or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation
is inadmissible.’’
Subsec. (d)(13). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1513(e), added par.
(13) relating to Attorney General’s determination
whether a ground for inadmissibility exists with respect to a nonimmigrant described in section
1101(a)(15)(U) of this title.
Pub. L. 106–386, § 107(e)(3), added par. (13) relating to
Attorney General’s determination whether a ground for

Page 152

inadmissibility exists with respect to a nonimmigrant
described in section 1101(a)(15)(T) of this title.
Subsec. (g)(1)(C). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1505(d), added subpar. (C).
Subsec. (h)(1)(C). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1505(e), added subpar. (C).
Subsec. (i)(1). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1505(c)(1), inserted before period at end ‘‘or, in the case of an alien granted
classification under clause (iii) or (iv) of section
1154(a)(1)(A) of this title or clause (ii) or (iii) of section
1154(a)(1)(B) of this title, the alien demonstrates extreme hardship to the alien or the alien’s United States
citizen, lawful permanent resident, or qualified alien
parent or child’’.
Subsec. (n)(1)(E)(ii). Pub. L. 106–313, § 107(a), substituted ‘‘October 1, 2003’’ for ‘‘October 1, 2001’’.
Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 106–386, § 1505(f), added subsec. (p)
relating to consideration of benefits received as battered alien in determination of inadmissibility as likely to become public charge.
1999—Subsec. (a)(2)(C). Pub. L. 106–120 amended heading and text of subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who the consular
or immigration officer knows or has reason to believe
is or has been an illicit trafficker in any such controlled substance or is or has been a knowing assister,
abettor, conspirator, or colluder with others in the illicit trafficking in any such controlled substance, is inadmissible.’’
Subsec. (a)(5)(C). Pub. L. 106–95, § 4(a)(2), substituted
‘‘Subject to subsection (r) of this section, any alien who
seeks’’ for ‘‘Any alien who seeks’’ in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (m). Pub. L. 106–95, § 2(b), amended subsec.
(m) generally, adding provisions providing that no
more than 33 percent of a facility’s workforce may be
nonimmigrant aliens and making issuance of visas dependent upon State populations, and revising period of
admission from a maximum of 6 years to 3 years.
Subsec. (r). Pub. L. 106–95, § 4(a)(1), added subsec. (r).
1998—Subsec. (a)(2)(G). Pub. L. 105–292 added subpar.
(G).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C)(ii), (iii). Pub. L. 105–277, § 2226(a),
added cls. (ii) and (iii) and struck out heading and text
of former cl. (ii). Text read as follows: ‘‘Clause (i) shall
not apply so long as the child is located in a foreign
state that is a party to the Hague Convention on the
Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.’’
Subsec. (n)(1). Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(b)(2), substituted
‘‘an H–1B nonimmigrant’’ for ‘‘a nonimmigrant described in section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title’’ in introductory provisions.
Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(a)(2), (3), inserted at end ‘‘The
application form shall include a clear statement explaining the liability under subparagraph (F) of a placing employer if the other employer described in such
subparagraph displaces a United States worker as described in such subparagraph. Nothing in subparagraph
(G) shall be construed to prohibit an employer from
using legitimate selection criteria relevant to the job
that are normal or customary to the type of job involved, so long as such criteria are not applied in a discriminatory manner.’’
Subsec. (n)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(b)(2), substituted ‘‘an H–1B nonimmigrant’’ for ‘‘a nonimmigrant
described in section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of this title’’ in
introductory provisions.
Subsec. (n)(1)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(c), amended
cl. (ii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (ii) read as
follows: ‘‘if there is no such bargaining representative,
has posted notice of filing in conspicuous locations at
the place of employment.’’
Subsec. (n)(1)(E) to (G). Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(a)(1),
added subpars. (E) to (G).
Subsec. (n)(2)(A). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(b)(2), substituted ‘‘Subject to paragraph (5)(A), the Secretary’’
for ‘‘The Secretary’’ in first sentence.
Subsec. (n)(2)(C). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(a), amended
subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C)
read as follows: ‘‘If the Secretary finds, after notice and

Page 153

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

opportunity for a hearing, a failure to meet a condition
of paragraph (1)(B), a substantial failure to meet a condition of paragraphs (1)(C) or (1)(D), a willful failure to
meet a condition of paragraph (1)(A), or a misrepresentation of material fact in an application—
‘‘(i) the Secretary shall notify the Attorney General of such finding and may, in addition, impose
such other administrative remedies (including civil
monetary penalties in an amount not to exceed $1,000
per violation) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, and
‘‘(ii) the Attorney General shall not approve petitions filed with respect to that employer under section 1154 or 1184(c) of this title during a period of at
least 1 year for aliens to be employed by the employer.’’
Subsec. (n)(2)(E). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(c), added subpar. (E).
Subsec. (n)(2)(F). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(d), added subpar. (F).
Subsec. (n)(2)(G). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(e), temporarily
added subpar. (G). See Effective and Termination Dates
of 1998 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (n)(2)(H). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(f), added subpar. (H).
Subsec. (n)(3), (4). Pub. L. 105–277, § 412(b)(1), added
pars. (3) and (4).
Subsec. (n)(5). Pub. L. 105–277, § 413(b)(1), added par.
(5).
Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 105–277, § 415(a), added subsec. (p)
relating to computation of prevailing wage level.
Subsec. (q). Pub. L. 105–277, § 431(a), added subsec. (q).
1997—Subsec. (a)(1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 105–73, § 1(1), inserted ‘‘except as provided in subparagraph (C),’’ after
‘‘(ii)’’.
Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 105–73, § 1(2), added subpar.
(C).
1996—Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(A), amended section
catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(C), substituted
‘‘is inadmissible’’ for ‘‘is excludable’’ wherever appearing in pars. (1) to (5), (6)(C) to (E), (G), (7), (8), (10)(A),
(C)(i), (D), and (E).
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(B), substituted ‘‘aliens ineligible for visas or admission’’ for ‘‘excludable aliens’’
in heading and substituted ‘‘Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, aliens who are inadmissible under
the following paragraphs are ineligible to receive visas
and ineligible to be admitted to the United States:’’ for
‘‘Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the following describes classes of excludable aliens who are
ineligible to receive visas and who shall be excluded
from admission into the United States:’’ in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(1)(A)(ii) to (iv). Pub. L. 104–208, § 341(a),
added cl. (ii) and redesignated former cls. (ii) and (iii)
as (iii) and (iv), respectively.
Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–208, § 322(a)(2)(B), struck
out ‘‘actually imposed’’ after ‘‘confinement’’.
Subsec. (a)(2)(D)(i), (ii). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(f)(1)(C),
substituted ‘‘admission’’ for ‘‘entry’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(I). Pub. L. 104–132, § 411(1)(A),
struck out ‘‘or’’ at end.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(II). Pub. L. 104–132, § 411(1)(B), inserted ‘‘is engaged in or’’ after ‘‘ground to believe,’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(III). Pub. L. 104–208, § 342(a)(2),
added subcl. (III). Former subcl. (III) redesignated (IV).
Pub. L. 104–132, § 411(1)(C), added subcl. (III).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(IV). Pub. L. 104–208, § 355, inserted
‘‘which the alien knows or should have known is a terrorist organization’’ after ‘‘1189 of this title,’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 342(a)(1), redesignated subcl. (III) as
(IV). Former subcl. (IV) redesignated (V).
Pub. L. 104–132, § 411(1)(C), added subcl. (IV).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i)(V). Pub. L. 104–208, § 342(a)(1), redesignated subcl. (IV) as (V).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iii)(III). Pub. L. 104–208, § 342(a)(3),
inserted ‘‘documentation or’’ before ‘‘identification’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iv). Pub. L. 104–132, § 411(2), added cl.
(iv).

§ 1182

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 104–208, § 531(a), amended heading and text of par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment,
text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who, in the opinion of
the consular officer at the time of application for a
visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the
time of application for admission or adjustment of
status, is likely at any time to become a public charge
is excludable.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, § 305(c), which directed amendment of
par.
(4)
by
substituting
‘‘1227(a)(5)(B)’’
for
‘‘1251(a)(5)(B)’’ each place it appears, could not be executed because ‘‘1251(a)(5)(B)’’ did not appear in par. (4).
Subsec. (a)(5)(A)(iii). Pub. L. 104–208, § 624(a), added cl.
(iii).
Subsec. (a)(5)(C). Pub. L. 104–208, § 343(2), added subpar. (C). Former subpar. (C) redesignated (D).
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(D), substituted ‘‘inadmissibility’’ for ‘‘exclusion’’.
Subsec. (a)(5)(D). Pub. L. 104–208, § 343(1), redesignated
subpar. (C) as (D).
Subsec. (a)(6)(A). Pub. L. 104–208, § 301(c)(1), amended
heading and text generally. Prior to amendment, text
read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who has been excluded from
admission and deported and who again seeks admission
within one year of the date of such deportation is excludable, unless prior to the alien’s reembarkation at a
place outside the United States or attempt to be admitted from foreign contiguous territory the Attorney
General has consented to the alien’s reapplying for admission.’’
Subsec. (a)(6)(B). Pub. L. 104–208, § 301(c)(1), amended
heading and text generally. Prior to amendment, text
read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who—
‘‘(i) has been arrested and deported,
‘‘(ii) has fallen into distress and has been removed
pursuant to this chapter or any prior Act,
‘‘(iii) has been removed as an alien enemy, or
‘‘(iv) has been removed at Government expense in
lieu of deportation pursuant to section 1252(b) of this
title,
and (a) who seeks admission within 5 years of the date
of such deportation or removal, or (b) who seeks admission within 20 years in the case of an alien convicted of
an aggravated felony, is excludable, unless before the
date of the alien’s embarkation or reembarkation at a
place outside the United States or attempt to be admitted from foreign contiguous territory the Attorney
General has consented to the alien’s applying or reapplying for admission.’’
Subsec. (a)(6)(C)(i). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(f)(1)(D), substituted ‘‘admission’’ for ‘‘entry’’.
Subsec. (a)(6)(C)(ii), (iii). Pub. L. 104–208, § 344(a),
added cl. (ii) and redesignated former cl. (ii) as (iii).
Subsec. (a)(6)(F). Pub. L. 104–208, § 345(a)(1), amended
heading and text of subpar. (F) generally. Prior to
amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘An alien who is the
subject of a final order for violation of section 1324c of
this title is excludable.’’
Subsec. (a)(6)(G). Pub. L. 104–208, § 346(a), added subpar. (G).
Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 104–208, § 301(b)(1), added par.
(9). Former par. (9) redesignated (10).
Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 104–208, § 301(b)(1), redesignated par. (9) as (10).
Subsec. (a)(10)(B). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(c)(2)(B),
amended heading and text of subpar. (B) generally.
Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Any alien
accompanying another alien ordered to be excluded and
deported and certified to be helpless from sickness or
mental or physical disability or infancy pursuant to
section 1227(e) of this title, whose protection or guardianship is required by the alien ordered excluded and
deported, is excludable.’’
Subsec. (a)(10)(D). Pub. L. 104–208, § 347(a), added subpar. (D).
Subsec. (a)(10)(E). Pub. L. 104–208, § 352(a), added subpar. (E).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(F), which directed amendment of par. (2) by striking ‘‘or ineligible
for entry’’, was executed by striking the language in

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

par. (1)(B) before ‘‘or adjustment’’, to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening redesignation of par. (2) as par. (1)(B) by Pub. L. 104–132, § 412(1).
See below.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(E), substituted ‘‘inadmissible’’ for ‘‘excludable’’ wherever appearing.
Pub. L. 104–132, § 412, designated existing provisions as
par. (1), substituted ‘‘Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3),
if’’ for ‘‘If’’, redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, realigned margins, and
added pars. (2) and (3).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–208, § 304(b), struck out subsec.
(c) which read as follows: ‘‘Aliens lawfully admitted for
permanent residence who temporarily proceeded abroad
voluntarily and not under an order of deportation, and
who are returning to a lawful unrelinquished domicile
of seven consecutive years, may be admitted in the discretion of the Attorney General without regard to the
provisions of subsection (a) of this section (other than
paragraphs (3) and (9)(C)). Nothing contained in this
subsection shall limit the authority of the Attorney
General to exercise the discretion vested in him under
section 1181(b) of this title. This subsection shall not
apply to an alien who is deportable by reason of having
committed any criminal offense covered in section
1227(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B), (C), or (D) of this title, or any offense covered by section 1227(a)(2)(A)(ii) of this title for
which both predicate offenses are, without regard to
the date of their commission, otherwise covered by section 1227(a)(2)(A)(i) of this title.’’
Pub. L. 104–132, § 440(d)(2), as amended by Pub. L.
104–208, §§ 306(d), 308(g)(1), (10)(H), substituted ‘‘is deportable by reason of having committed any criminal
offense covered in section 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B), (C), or
(D) of this title, or any offense covered by section
1227(a)(2)(A)(ii) of this title for which both predicate offenses are, without regard to the date of their commission, otherwise covered by section 1227(a)(2)(A)(i) of
this title.’’ for ‘‘has been convicted of one or more aggravated felonies and has served for such felony or felonies a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years.’’
Pub. L. 104–132, § 440(d)(1), substituted ‘‘This’’ for
‘‘The first sentence of this’’ in third sentence.
Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(e)(1)(B), substituted ‘‘removal’’ for ‘‘deportation’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(D), substituted ‘‘inadmissibility’’ for ‘‘exclusion’’.
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(E), substituted ‘‘inadmissible aliens’’ for ‘‘excludable aliens’’.
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(g)(1), substituted
‘‘section 1223(c)’’ for ‘‘section 1228(c)’’.
Subsec. (d)(5)(A). Pub. L. 104–208, § 602(a), substituted
‘‘only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian
reasons or significant public benefit’’ for ‘‘for emergent
reasons or for reasons deemed strictly in the public interest’’.
Subsec. (d)(7). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(g)(4)(B), substituted ‘‘section 1231(c)’’ for ‘‘section 1227(a)’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(e)(2)(A), substituted ‘‘removed’’
for ‘‘deported’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(G), substituted ‘‘denied admission’’ for ‘‘excluded from admission’’.
Subsec. (d)(11). Pub. L. 104–208, § 671(e)(3), inserted
comma after ‘‘(4) thereof)’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 351(a), inserted ‘‘an individual who
at the time of such action was’’ after ‘‘aided only’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(e)(1)(C), substituted ‘‘removal’’
for ‘‘deportation’’.
Subsec. (d)(12). Pub. L. 104–208, § 345(a)(2), added par.
(12).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–208, § 622(b), inserted ‘‘, or in
the case of a waiver requested by an interested United
States Government agency on behalf of an alien described in clause (iii),’’ before ‘‘the waiver shall be subject to’’.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–208, § 124(b)(1), inserted at end
‘‘Whenever the Attorney General finds that a commercial airline has failed to comply with regulations of the
Attorney General relating to requirements of airlines
for the detection of fraudulent documents used by pas-

Page 154

sengers traveling to the United States (including the
training of personnel in such detection), the Attorney
General may suspend the entry of some or all aliens
transported to the United States by such airline.’’
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–208, § 341(b), substituted a
semicolon for ‘‘, or’’ at end of par. (1)(B), inserted ‘‘in
accordance with such terms, conditions, and controls,
if any, including the giving of bond, as the Attorney
General, in the discretion of the Attorney General after
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, may by regulation prescribe;’’ as par. (1) concluding provisions, and substituted pars. (2) and (3) for
former par. (2) and concluding provisions which read as
follows:
‘‘(2) subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section in the
case of any alien,
in accordance with such terms, conditions, and controls, if any, including the giving of bond, as the Attorney General, in his discretion after consultation with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, may by
regulation prescribe.’’
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104–208, § 348(a), inserted at end of
concluding provisions ‘‘No waiver shall be granted
under this subsection in the case of an alien who has
previously been admitted to the United States as an
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if either since the date of such admission the alien has been
convicted of an aggravated felony or the alien has not
lawfully resided continuously in the United States for
a period of not less than 7 years immediately preceding
the date of initiation of proceedings to remove the
alien from the United States. No court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision of the Attorney General to
grant or deny a waiver under this subsection.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(g)(10)(A), which directed substitution of ‘‘paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1229b(a) of
this title’’ for ‘‘subsection (c) of this section’’, could
not be executed because the language ‘‘subsection (c) of
this section’’ did not appear.
Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(f)(1)(E), substituted ‘‘admission’’ for ‘‘entry’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(E), substituted ‘‘inadmissible’’ for ‘‘excludable’’ in two places.
Subsec. (h)(1)(B). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(H), substituted ‘‘denial of admission’’ for ‘‘exclusion’’.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 104–208, § 349, amended subsec. (i)
generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (i) read as follows: ‘‘The Attorney General may, in his discretion,
waive application of clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(C) of
this section—
‘‘(1) in the case of an immigrant who is the spouse,
parent, or son or daughter of a United States citizen
or of an immigrant lawfully admitted for permanent
residence, or
‘‘(2) if the fraud or misrepresentation occurred at
least 10 years before the date of the immigrant’s application for a visa, entry, or adjustment of status
and it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the admission to the United States
of such immigrant would not be contrary to the national welfare, safety, or security of the United
States.’’
Subsec. (j)(1)(D). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(f)(1)(F), substituted ‘‘admission’’ for ‘‘entry’’ in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (j)(1)(D)(ii). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(f)(3)(A), substituted ‘‘is admitted to’’ for ‘‘enters’’.
Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(E), substituted
‘‘inadmissible’’ for ‘‘excludable’’.
Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(d)(1)(D), substituted ‘‘inadmissibility’’ for ‘‘exclusion’’.
Subsec. (l)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–208, § 308(e)(6), substituted ‘‘removal of’’ for ‘‘deportation against’’.
1994—Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(i)(I). Pub. L. 103–416, § 203(a)(1),
inserted ‘‘or an attempt or conspiracy to commit such
a crime’’ after ‘‘offense)’’.
Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(i)(II). Pub. L. 103–416, § 203(a)(2), inserted ‘‘or attempt’’ after ‘‘conspiracy’’.
Subsec. (a)(5)(C). Pub. L. 103–416, § 219(z)(5), amended
directory language of Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(6). See
1991 Amendment note below.

Page 155

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–322 added par. (1).
Subsec. (d)(11). Pub. L. 103–416, § 219(e), substituted
‘‘voluntarily’’ for ‘‘voluntary’’.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–416, § 220(a), in first proviso,
inserted ‘‘(or, in the case of an alien described in clause
(iii), pursuant to the request of a State Department of
Public Health, or its equivalent)’’ after ‘‘interested
United States Government agency’’ and ‘‘except that in
the case of a waiver requested by a State Department
of Public Health, or its equivalent the waiver shall be
subject to the requirements of section 1184(k) of this
title’’ after ‘‘public interest’’.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103–416, § 203(a)(3), inserted before
period at end ‘‘, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit
murder or a criminal act involving torture’’.
Subsec. (n)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 103–416, § 219(z)(1), made
technical correction to Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(i).
See 1991 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 103–317, § 506(a), (c), temporarily
added subsec. (o) which read as follows: ‘‘An alien who
has been physically present in the United States shall
not be eligible to receive an immigrant visa within
ninety days following departure therefrom unless—
‘‘(1) the alien was maintaining a lawful nonimmigrant status at the time of such departure, or
‘‘(2) the alien is the spouse or unmarried child of an
individual who obtained temporary or permanent
resident status under section 1160 or 1255a of this title
or section 202 of the Immigration Reform and Control
Act of 1986 at any date, who—
‘‘(A) as of May 5, 1988, was the unmarried child or
spouse of the individual who obtained temporary or
permanent resident status under section 1160 or
1255a of this title or section 202 of the Immigration
Reform and Control Act of 1986;
‘‘(B) entered the United States before May 5, 1988,
resided in the United States on May 5, 1988, and is
not a lawful permanent resident; and
‘‘(C) applied for benefits under section 301(a) of
the Immigration Act of 1990.’’
See Effective and Termination Dates of 1994 Amendment note below.
1993—Subsec. (a)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 103–43 inserted at
end ‘‘which shall include infection with the etiologic
agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome,’’.
1991—Subsec.
(a)(1)(A)(ii)(II).
Pub.
L.
102–232,
§ 307(a)(1), inserted ‘‘or’’ at end.
Subsec. (a)(3)(A)(i). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(2), inserted
‘‘(I)’’ after ‘‘any activity’’ and ‘‘(II)’’ after ‘‘sabotage
or’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iii)(III). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(3),
substituted ‘‘a terrorist activity’’ for ‘‘an act of terrorist activity’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(C)(iv). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(5), substituted ‘‘identity’’ for ‘‘identities’’.
Subsec. (a)(3)(D)(iv). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(4), substituted ‘‘if the immigrant’’ for ‘‘if the alien’’.
Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 102–232, § 302(e)(6), repealed Pub.
L. 101–649, § 162(e)(1). See 1990 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (a)(5)(C). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(6), as amended by Pub. L. 103–416, § 219(z)(5), substituted ‘‘immigrants seeking admission or adjustment of status under
paragraph (2) or (3) of section 1153(b) of this title’’ for
‘‘preference immigrant aliens described in paragraph
(3) or (6) of section 1153(a) of this title and to nonpreference immigrant aliens described in section
1153(a)(7) of this title’’.
Subsec. (a)(6)(B). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(7), in closing
provisions, substituted ‘‘(a) who seeks’’ for ‘‘who
seeks’’, ‘‘, or (b) who seeks admission’’ for ‘‘(or’’, and
‘‘felony,’’ for ‘‘felony)’’.
Subsec. (a)(6)(E)(ii), (iii). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(8),
added cl. (ii) and redesignated former cl. (ii) as (iii).
Subsec. (a)(8)(B). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(9), substituted ‘‘person’’ for ‘‘alien’’ after ‘‘Any’’.
Subsec. (a)(9)(C)(i). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(10)(A), substituted ‘‘an order by a court in the United States
granting custody to a person of a United States citizen
child who detains or retains the child, or withholds custody of the child, outside the United States from the

§ 1182

person granted custody by that order, is excludable
until the child is surrendered to the person granted
custody by that order’’ for ‘‘a court order granting custody to a citizen of the United States of a child having
a lawful claim to United States citizenship, detains, retains, or withholds custody of the child outside the
United States from the United States citizen granted
custody, is excludable until the child is surrendered to
such United States citizen’’.
Subsec. (a)(9)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(a)(10)(B),
substituted ‘‘so long as the child is located in a foreign
state that is a party’’ for ‘‘to an alien who is a national
of a foreign state that is a signatory’’.
Subsec. (a)(17). Pub. L. 102–232, § 306(a)(12), amended
Pub. L. 101–649, § 514(a). See 1990 Amendment note
below.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(b), substituted
‘‘paragraphs (3) and (9)(C)’’ for ‘‘subparagraphs (A), (B),
(C), or (E) of paragraph (3)’’.
Pub. L. 102–232, § 306(a)(10), substituted ‘‘one or more
aggravated felonies and has served for such felony or
felonies’’ for ‘‘an aggravated felony and has served’’.
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(c), substituted
‘‘(3)(A)(i)(I), (3)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(iii),’’ for ‘‘(3)(A),’’ in two
places and ‘‘(3)(E)’’ for ‘‘(3)(D)’’ in two places.
Subsec. (d)(11). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(d), inserted ‘‘and
in the case of an alien seeking admission or adjustment
of status as an immediate relative or immigrant under
section 1153(a) of this title (other than paragraph (4)
thereof)’’ after ‘‘section 1181(b) of this title’’.
Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(e), substituted
‘‘subsection (a)(1)(A)(i)’’ for ‘‘section (a)(1)(A)(i)’’.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(f)(1), struck out ‘‘in
the case of an immigrant who is the spouse, parent,
son, or daughter of a citizen of the United States or
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence’’ after
‘‘marijuana’’ in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(f)(2), designated
existing provisions as subpar. (A) and inserted ‘‘in the
case of any immigrant’’ in introductory provisions, redesignated former subpars. (A) to (C) as cls. (i) to (iii),
respectively, struck out ‘‘and’’ at end of cl. (i), substituted ‘‘or’’ for ‘‘and’’ at end of cl. (iii), and added
subpar. (B).
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 102–232, § 307(g), substituted ‘‘immigrant’’ and ‘‘immigrant’s’’ for ‘‘alien’’ and ‘‘alien’s’’,
respectively, wherever appearing.
Subsec. (j)(1)(D). Pub. L. 102–232, § 309(b)(7), substituted ‘‘United States Information Agency’’ for
‘‘International Communication Agency’’.
Subsec. (j)(2). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(5)(B), added par.
(2) and struck out former par. (2) which related to inapplicability of par. (1)(A) and (B)(ii)(I) requirements between effective date of subsec. and Dec. 31, 1983.
Subsec. (j)(3). Pub. L. 102–232, § 309(b)(7), substituted
‘‘United States Information Agency’’ for ‘‘International Communication Agency’’.
Subsec. (m)(2)(A). Pub. L. 102–232, § 302(e)(9), inserted,
after first sentence of closing provisions, sentence relating to attestation that facility will not replace
nurse with nonimmigrant for period of one year after
layoff.
Subsec. (n)(1). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(ii), (iii),
redesignated matter after first sentence of subpar. (D)
as closing provisions of par. (1), substituted ‘‘(and such
accompanying documents as are necessary)’’ for ‘‘(and
accompanying documentation)’’, and inserted last two
sentences providing for review and certification by Secretary of Labor.
Subsec. (n)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(i), as
amended by Pub. L. 103–416, § 219(z)(1), in introductory
provisions substituted ‘‘admitted or provided status as
a nonimmigrant described in section 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)
of this title’’ for ‘‘and to other individuals employed in
the occupational classification and in the area of employment’’, in closing provisions substituted ‘‘based on
the best information available’’ for ‘‘determined’’, and
amended subcl. (I) generally. Prior to amendment,
subcl. (I) read as follows: ‘‘the actual wage level for the
occupational classification at the place of employment,
or’’.

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

Subsec. (n)(1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(6), substituted ‘‘for such a nonimmigrant’’ for ‘‘for such
aliens’’.
Subsec. (n)(1)(D). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(iii), redesignated matter after first sentence as closing provisions of par. (1).
Subsec. (n)(2)(C). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(iv),
substituted ‘‘of paragraph (1)(B), a substantial failure
to meet a condition of paragraphs (1)(C) or (1)(D), a
willful failure to meet a condition of paragraph (1)(A),
or a misrepresentation’’ for ‘‘(or a substantial failure in
the case of a condition described in subparagraph (C) or
(D) of paragraph (1)) or misrepresentation’’.
Subsec. (n)(2)(D). Pub. L. 102–232, § 303(a)(7)(B)(v), (vi),
substituted ‘‘If’’ for ‘‘In addition to the sanctions provided under subparagraph (C), if’’ and inserted before
period at end ‘‘, whether or not a penalty under subparagraph (C) has been imposed’’.
1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(a), amended
subsec. (a) generally, decreasing number of classes of
excludable aliens from 34 to 9 by broadening descriptions of such classes.
Pub. L. 101–649, § 514(a), as amended by Pub. L. 102–232,
§ 306(a)(12), substituted ‘‘20 years’’ for ‘‘ten years’’ in
par. (17).
Pub. L. 101–649, § 162(e)(1), which provided that par. (5)
is amended in subpar. (A), by striking ‘‘Any alien who
seeks to enter the United States for the purpose of performing skilled or unskilled labor’’ and inserting ‘‘Any
alien who seeks admission or status as an immigrant
under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 1153(b) of this title,
in subpar. (B), by inserting ‘‘who seeks admission or
status as an immigrant under paragraph (2) or (3) of
section 1153(b) of this title’’ after ‘‘An alien’’ the first
place it appears, and by striking subpar. (C), was repealed by Pub. L. 102–232, § 302(e)(6). See Construction of
1990 Amendment note below.
Pub. L. 101–246, § 131(a), added par. (34) which read as
follows: ‘‘Any alien who has committed in the United
States any serious criminal offense, as defined in section 1101(h) of this title, for whom immunity from
criminal jurisdiction was exercised with respect to that
offense, who as a consequence of the offense and the exercise of immunity has departed the United States, and
who has not subsequently submitted fully to the jurisdiction of the court in the United States with jurisdiction over the offense.’’
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(b), added subsec. (b)
and struck out former subsec. (b) which related to nonapplicability of subsec. (a)(25).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(1), substituted
‘‘subsection (a) of this section (other than subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), or (E) of paragraph (3))’’ for ‘‘paragraph (1) through (25) and paragraphs (30) and (31) of
subsection (a) of this section’’.
Pub. L. 101–649, § 511(a), inserted at end ‘‘The first sentence of this subsection shall not apply to an alien who
has been convicted of an aggravated felony and has
served a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years.’’
Subsec. (d)(1), (2). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(A), struck
out pars. (1) and (2) which related to applicability of
subsec. (a)(11), (25), and (28).
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(B), substituted ‘‘under subsection (a) of this section (other
than paragraphs (3)(A), (3)(C), and (3)(D) of such subsection)’’ for ‘‘under one or more of the paragraphs enumerated in subsection (a) of this section (other than
paragraphs (27), (29), and (33))’’ wherever appearing, and
inserted at end ‘‘The Attorney General shall prescribe
conditions, including exaction of such bonds as may be
necessary, to control and regulate the admission and
return of excludable aliens applying for temporary admission under this paragraph.’’
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(C), substituted ‘‘(7)(B)(i)’’ for ‘‘(26)’’.
Subsec. (d)(5)(A). Pub. L. 101–649, § 202(b), inserted ‘‘or
in section 1184(f) of this title’’ after ‘‘except as provided
in subparagraph (B)’’.
Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(A), struck
out par. (6) which directed that Attorney General pre-

Page 156

scribe conditions to control excludable aliens applying
for temporary admission.
Subsec. (d)(7). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(D), substituted ‘‘(other than paragraph (7))’’ for ‘‘of this section, except paragraphs (20), (21), and (26),’’.
Subsec. (d)(8). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(E), substituted ‘‘(3)(A), (3)(B), (3)(C), and (7)(B)’’ for ‘‘(26), (27),
and (29)’’.
Subsec. (d)(9), (10). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(A),
struck out pars. (9) and (10) which related to applicability of pars. (7) and (15), respectively, of subsec. (a).
Subsec. (d)(11). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(2)(F), added
par. (11).
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(3), amended subsec. (g) generally, substituting provisions relating to
waiver of application for provisions relating to admission of mentally retarded, tubercular, and mentally ill
aliens.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(4), amended subsec. (h) generally, substituting provisions relating to
waiver of certain subsec. (a)(2) provisions for provisions
relating to nonapplicability of subsec. (a)(9), (10), (12),
(23), and (34).
Pub. L. 101–246, § 131(c), substituted ‘‘(12), or (34)’’ for
‘‘or (12)’’.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(5), amended subsec. (i) generally, substituting provisions relating to
waiver of subsec. (a)(6)(C)(i) of this section for provisions relating to admission of alien spouse, parent or
child excludable for fraud.
Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(6), substituted
‘‘paragraph (5)(A) or (7)(A)(i)’’ for ‘‘paragraph (14), (20),
or (21)’’.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 101–649, § 601(d)(7), substituted
‘‘paragraph (7)(B)(i)’’ for ‘‘paragraph (26)(B)’’.
Subsec. (m)(2)(A). Pub. L. 101–649, § 162(f)(2)(B), in
opening provision, struck out ‘‘, with respect to a facility for which an alien will perform services,’’ before ‘‘is
an attestation’’, in cl. (iii) inserted ‘‘employed by the
facility’’ after ‘‘The alien’’, and inserted at end ‘‘In the
case of an alien for whom an employer has filed an attestation under this subparagraph and who is performing services at a worksite other than the employer’s or
other than a worksite controlled by the employer, the
Secretary may waive such requirements for the attestation for the worksite as may be appropriate in order
to avoid duplicative attestations, in cases of temporary, emergency circumstances, with respect to information not within the knowledge of the attestor, or
for other good cause.’’
Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 101–649, § 205(c)(3), added subsec.
(n).
1989—Subsec. (m). Pub. L. 101–238 added subsec. (m).
1988—Subsec. (a)(17). Pub. L. 100–690 inserted ‘‘(or
within ten years in the case of an alien convicted of an
aggravated felony)’’ after ‘‘within five years’’.
Subsec. (a)(19). Pub. L. 100–525, § 7(c)(1), made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 99–639,
§ 6(a). See 1986 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (a)(32). Pub. L. 100–525, § 9(i)(1), substituted
‘‘Secretary of Education’’ for ‘‘Commissioner of Education’’ and ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’
for ‘‘Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare’’.
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 100–525, § 8(f), added Pub. L.
99–653, § 7(d)(2). See 1986 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100–525, § 9(i)(2), substituted ‘‘Director of the United States Information Agency’’ for
‘‘Secretary of State’’ the first place appearing, and ‘‘Director’’ for ‘‘Secretary of State’’ each subsequent place
appearing.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 100–525, § 9(i)(3), substituted ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’ for ‘‘Surgeon
General of the United States Public Health Service’’
wherever appearing.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 100–525, § 9(i)(4), substituted
‘‘paragraph (9)’’ for ‘‘paragraphs (9)’’.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 100–525, § 7(c)(3), added Pub. L.
99–639, § 6(b). See 1986 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 100–525, § 3(1)(A), made technical
correction to Pub. L. 99–396, § 14(a). See 1986 Amendment note below.

Page 157

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

1987—Subsec. (a)(23). Pub. L. 100–204 amended par. (23)
generally. Prior to amendment, par. (23) read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who has been convicted of a violation
of, or a conspiracy to violate, any law or regulation of
a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 802
of title 21); or any alien who the consular officer or immigration officer know or have reason to believe is or
has been an illicit trafficker in any such controlled
substance;’’.
1986—Subsec. (a)(19). Pub. L. 99–639, § 6(a), as amended
by Pub. L. 100–525, § 7(c)(1), amended par. (19) generally.
Prior to amendment, par. (19) read as follows: ‘‘Any
alien who seeks to procure, or has sought to procure, or
has procured a visa or other documentation, or seeks to
enter the United States, by fraud, or by willfully misrepresenting a material fact;’’.
Subsec. (a)(23). Pub. L. 99–570 substituted ‘‘any law or
regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign
country relating to a controlled substance (as defined
in section 802 of title 21)’’ for ‘‘any law or regulation relating to the illicit possession of or traffic in narcotic
drugs or marihuana, or who has been convicted of a violation of, or a conspiracy to violate, any law or regulation governing or controlling the taxing, manufacture,
production, compounding, transportation, sale, exchange, dispensing, giving away, importation, exportation, or the possession for the purpose of the manufacture, production, compounding, transportation, sale,
exchange, dispensing, giving away, importation, or exportation of opium, coca leaves, heroin, marihuana, or
any salt derivative, or preparation of opium or coca
leaves, or isonipecaine or any addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining opiate’’ and ‘‘any such controlled
substance’’ for ‘‘any of the aforementioned drugs’’.
Subsec. (a)(24). Pub. L. 99–653 struck out par. (24)
which related to aliens seeking admission from foreign
contiguous territory or adjacent islands who arrived
there on vessel or aircraft of nonsignatory line or noncomplying transportation line and have not resided
there at least two years subsequent to such arrival, except for aliens described in section 1101(a)(27)(A) of this
title and aliens born in Western Hemisphere, and further provided that no paragraph following par. (24)
shall be redesignated as result of this amendment.
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 99–653, § 7(d)(2), as added by
Pub. L. 100–525, § 8(f), substituted ‘‘section 1228(c) of this
title’’ for ‘‘section 1228(d) of this title’’.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 99–639, § 6(b), as added by Pub. L.
100–525, § 7(c)(3), inserted ‘‘or other benefit under this
chapter’’ after ‘‘United States,’’.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 99–396, § 14(a), as amended by Pub.
L. 100–525, § 3(1)(A), amended subsec. (l) generally, designating existing provisions as par. (1) and redesignating former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, inserting in par. (1) as so designated reference to consultation with the Governor of Guam, inserting in subpar. (B) as so redesignated reference to
the welfare, safety, and security of the territories and
commonwealths of the United States, and adding pars.
(2) and (3).
1984—Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 98–473 amended last sentence generally. Prior to amendment, last sentence
read as follows: ‘‘Any alien who would be excludable because of a conviction of a misdemeanor classifiable as
a petty offense under the provisions of section 1(3) of
title 18, by reason of the punishment actually imposed,
or who would be excludable as one who admits the commission of an offense that is classifiable as a misdemeanor under the provisions of section 1(2) of title 18,
by reason of the punishment which might have been
imposed upon him, may be granted a visa and admitted
to the United States if otherwise admissible: Provided,
That the alien has committed only one such offense, or
admits the commission of acts which constitute the essential elements of only one such offense;’’.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 98–454 added subsec. (l).
1981—Subsec. (a)(17). Pub. L. 97–116, § 4(1), inserted
‘‘and who seek admission within five years of the date
of such deportation or removal,’’ after ‘‘section 1252(b)
of this title,’’.

§ 1182

Subsec. (a)(32). Pub. L. 97–116, §§ 5(a)(1), 18(e)(1), substituted ‘‘in the United States)’’ for ‘‘in the United
States’’ and inserted provision that for purposes of this
paragraph an alien who is a graduate of a medical
school be considered to have passed parts I and II of the
National Board of Medical Examiners examination if
the alien was fully and permanently licensed to practice medicine in a State on Jan. 9, 1978, and was practicing medicine in a State on that date.
Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 97–116, § 4(2), struck out provision that the Attorney General make a detailed report
to Congress in any case in which he exercises his authority under par. (3) of this subsection on behalf of
any alien excludable under subsec. (a)(9), (10), and (28)
of this section.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 97–116, § 4(3), substituted ‘‘paragraphs (9), (10), or (12) of subsection (a) of this section
or paragraph (23) of such subsection as such paragraph
relates to a single offense of simple possession of 30
grams or less of marihuana’’ for ‘‘paragraphs (9), (10),
or (12) of subsection (a) of this section’’.
Subsec. (j)(1). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(1), inserted ‘‘as follows’’ after ‘‘training are’’.
Subsec. (j)(1)(A). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(3), (4), substituted ‘‘Secretary of Education’’ for ‘‘Commissioner
of Education’’ and a period for the semicolon at the
end.
Subsec. (j)(1)(B). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(a)(2), (b)(3), (7)(A),
(B), substituted ‘‘Secretary of Education’’ for ‘‘Commissioner of Education’’, ‘‘(ii)(I)’’ for ‘‘(ii)’’, and ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’ for ‘‘Secretary
of Health, Education, and Welfare’’; inserted ‘‘(II)’’ before ‘‘has competency’’, ‘‘(III)’’ before ‘‘will be able to
adapt’’, and ‘‘(IV)’’ before ‘‘has adequate prior education’’; and inserted provision that for purposes of this
subparagraph an alien who is a graduate of a medical
school be considered to have passed parts I and II of the
National Board of Medical Examiners examination if
the alien was fully and permanently licensed to practice medicine in a State on Jan. 9, 1978, and was practicing medicine in a State on that date.
Subsec. (j)(1)(C). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(2)–(4), struck
out ‘‘(including any extension of the duration thereof
under subparagraph (D))’’ after ‘‘to the United States’’
and substituted ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’ for ‘‘Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare’’ and a period for ‘‘; and’’ at end.
Subsec. (j)(1)(D). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(5), substituted
provision permitting aliens coming to the United
States to study in medical residency training programs
to remain until the typical completion date of the program, as determined by the Director of the International Communication Agency at the time of the
alien’s entry, based on criteria established in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
except that such duration be limited to seven years unless the alien demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
Director that the country to which the alien will return after such specialty education has exceptional
need for an individual trained in such specialty, and
that the alien may change enrollment in programs once
within two years after coming to the United States if
approval of the Director is obtained and further commitments are obtained from the alien to assure that,
upon completion of the program, the alien would return
to his country for provision limiting the duration of
the alien’s participation in the program for which he is
coming to the United States to not more than 2 years,
with a possible one year extension.
Subsec. (j)(1)(E). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(6), added subpar.
(E).
Subsec. (j)(2)(A). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(7)(C)–(F), substituted ‘‘and (B)(ii)(I)’’ for ‘‘and (B)’’ and ‘‘1983’’ for
‘‘1981’’; inserted ‘‘(i) the Secretary of Health and
Human Services determines, on a case-by-case basis,
that’’ after ‘‘if’’; and added cl. (ii).
Subsec. (j)(2)(B). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(7)(G), inserted
provision directing Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in coordination with Attorney General and
Director of the International Communication Agency,

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

to monitor the issuance of waivers under subpar. (A)
and the needs of the communities, with respect to
which such waivers are issued, to assure that quality
medical care is provided and to review each program
with such a waiver to assure that the plan described in
subpar. (A)(ii) is being carried out and that the participants in such program are being provided appropriate
supervision in their medical education and training.
Subsec. (j)(2)(C). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(7)(G), added subpar. (C).
Subsec. (j)(3). Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(b)(8), added par. (3).
Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 97–116, § 18(e)(2), added subsec. (k).
1980—Subsec. (a)(14), (32). Pub. L. 96–212, § 203(d), substituted ‘‘1153(a)(7)’’ for ‘‘1153(a)(8)’’.
Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 96–212, § 203(f), redesignated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted provision excepting subpar. (B), and added subpar. (B).
Subsec. (j)(2)(A). Pub. L. 96–538 substituted ‘‘December 30, 1981’’ for ‘‘December 30, 1980’’.
1979—Subsec. (d)(9), (10). Pub. L. 96–70 added pars. (9)
and (10).
1978—Subsec. (a)(33). Pub. L. 95–549, § 101, added par.
(33).
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 95–549, § 102, inserted reference
to par. (33) in parenthetical text.
1977—Subsec. (a)(32). Pub. L. 95–83, § 307(q)(1), inserted
‘‘not accredited by a body or bodies approved for the
purpose by the Commissioner of Education (regardless
of whether such school of medicine is in the United
States’’ after ‘‘graduates of a medical school’’ in first
sentence and struck out second sentence exclusion of
aliens provision with respect to application to special
immigrants defined in section 1101(a)(27)(A) of this title
(other than the parents, spouses, or children of the
United States citizens or of aliens lawfully admitted
for permanent residence).
Subsec. (j)(1)(B). Pub. L. 95–83, § 307(q)(2)(A), inserted
cl. (i) and designated existing provisions as cl. (ii).
Subsec. (j)(1)(C). Pub. L. 95–83, § 307(q)(2)(B), substituted ‘‘that there is a need in that country for persons with the skills the alien will acquire in such education or training’’ for ‘‘that upon such completion and
return, he will be appointed to a position in which he
will fully utilize the skills acquired in such education
or training in the government of that country or in an
educational or other appropriate institution or agency
in that country’’.
Subsec. (j)(1)(D). Pub. L. 95–83, § 307(q)(2)(C), substituted ‘‘at the written request’’ for ‘‘at the request’’,
struck out cl. ‘‘(i) such government provides a written
assurance, satisfactory to the Secretary of Health,
Education, and Welfare, that the alien will, at the end
of such extension, be appointed to a position in which
he will fully utilize the skills acquired in such education or training in the government of that country or
in an educational or other appropriate institution or
agency in that country,’’, and redesignated as cls. (i)
and (ii) former cls. (ii) and (iii).
Subsec. (j)(2)(A). Pub. L. 95–83, § 307(q)(2)(D), substituted ‘‘(A) and (B)’’ for ‘‘(A) through (D)’’.
1976—Subsec. (a)(14). Pub. L. 94–571, § 5, in revising
par. (14), inserted in cl. (A) ‘‘(or equally qualified in the
case of aliens who are members of the teaching profession or who have exceptional ability in the sciences or
the arts)’’ and struck out ‘‘in the United States’’ after
‘‘sufficient workers’’ and ‘‘destined’’ before ‘‘to perform’’ and introductory provision of last sentence making exclusion of aliens under par. (14) applicable to special immigrants defined in former provision of section
1101(a)(27)(A) of this title (other than the parents,
spouses, or children of United States citizens or of
aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence).
Subsec. (a)(24). Pub. L. 94–571, § 7(d), substituted in
parenthetical text ‘‘section 1101(a)(27)(A) of this title
and aliens born in the Western Hemisphere’’ for ‘‘section 1101(a)(27)(A) and (B) of this title’’.
Subsec. (a)(32). Pub. L. 94–484, § 601(a), added par. (32).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–484, § 601(c), substituted ‘‘(i)
whose’’ for ‘‘whose (i)’’, and ‘‘residence, (ii)’’ for ‘‘resi-

Page 158

dence, or (ii)’’, inserted ‘‘or (iii) who came to the
United States or acquired such status in order to receive graduate medical education or training,’’ before
‘‘shall be eligible’’, and inserted ‘‘, except in the case of
an alien described in clause (iii),’’ in second proviso.
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 94–484, § 601(d), added subsec. (j).
1970—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 91–225 inserted cls. (i) and
(ii) and reference to eligibility for nonimmigrant visa
under section 1101(a)(15)(L) of this title, provided for
waiver of requirement of two-year foreign residence
abroad where alien cannot return to the country of his
nationality or last residence because he would be subject to persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion or where the foreign country of alien’s
nationality or last residence has furnished a written
statement that it has no objection to such waiver for
such alien, and struck out alternative provision for residence and physical presence in another foreign country and former first and final provisos which read as
follows: ‘‘Provided, That such residence in another foreign country shall be considered to have satisfied the
requirements of this subsection if the Secretary of
State determines that it has served the purpose and the
intent of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961’’ and ‘‘And provided further, That
the provisions of this subchapter shall apply also to
those persons who acquired exchange visitor status
under the United States Information and Educational
Exchange Act of 1948, as amended.’’
1965—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 89–236, § 15(a), substituted
‘‘mentally retarded’’ for ‘‘feebleminded’’.
Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 89–236, § 15(b), substituted ‘‘or
sexual deviation’’ for ‘‘epilepsy’’.
Subsec. (a)(14). Pub. L. 89–236, § 10(a), inserted requirement that Secretary of Labor make an affirmative
finding that any alien seeking to enter the United
States as a worker, skilled or otherwise, will not replace a worker in the United States nor will the employment of the alien adversely affect the wages and
working conditions of individuals in the United States
similarly employed, and made the requirement applicable to special immigrants (other than the parents,
spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens), preference immigrants described
in sections 1153(a)(3) and 1153(a)(6) of this title, and
nonpreference immigrants.
Subsec. (a)(20). Pub. L. 89–236, § 10(b), substituted
‘‘1181(a)’’ for ‘‘1181(e)’’.
Subsec. (a)(21). Pub. L. 89–236, § 10(c), struck out
‘‘quota’’ before ‘‘immigrant’’.
Subsec. (a)(24). Pub. L. 89–236, § 10(d), substituted
‘‘other than aliens described in section 1101(a)(27)(A)
and (B)’’ for ‘‘other than those aliens who are nativeborn citizens of countries enumerated in section
1101(a)(27) of this title and aliens described in section
1101(a)(27)(B) of this title’’.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 89–236, § 15(c), redesignated subsec. (f) of sec. 212 of the Immigration and Nationality
Act as subsec. (g) thereof, which for purposes of codification had already been designated as subsec. (g) of
this section and granted the Attorney General authority to admit any alien who is the spouse, unmarried son
or daughter, minor adopted child, or parent of a citizen
or lawful permanent resident and who is mentally retarded or has a past history of mental illness under the
same conditions as authorized in the case of such close
relatives afflicted with tuberculosis.
Subsecs. (h), (i). Pub. L. 89–236, § 15(c), redesignated
subsecs. (g) and (h) of sec. 212 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act as subsecs. (h) and (i) respectively
thereof, which for purposes of codification had already
been designated as subsecs. (h) and (i) of this section.
1961—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 87–301, § 11, struck out references to tuberculosis and leprosy.
Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 87–301, § 13, authorized admission of aliens who would be excluded because of conviction of a violation classifiable as an offense under section 1(3) of title 18, by reason of punishment actually
imposed, or who admit commission of an offense classifiable as a misdemeanor under section 1(2) of title 18,

Page 159

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

by reason of punishment which might have been imposed, if otherwise admissible and provided the alien
has committed, or admits to commission of, only one
such offense.
Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 87–256 added subsec. (e) and
redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f).
Subsecs. (g) to (i). Pub. L. 87–301, §§ 12, 14, 15, added
subsecs. (f) to (h), which for purposes of codification
have been designated as subsecs. (g) to (i).
1960—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–648 inserted ‘‘or marihuana’’ after ‘‘narcotic drugs’’ in cl. (23).
1959—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 86–3 struck out provisions
from cl. (7) which related to aliens who left Hawaii and
to persons who were admitted to Hawaii under section
8(a)(1) of the act of March 24, 1934, or as nationals of the
United States.
1958—Subsec. (d)(7). Pub. L. 85–508 struck out provisions which related to aliens who left Alaska.
1956—Subsec. (a)(23). Act July 18, 1956, included conspiracy to violate a narcotic law, and the illicit possession of narcotics, as additional grounds for exclusion.
CHANGE OF NAME
Committee on International Relations of House of
Representatives changed to Committee on Foreign Affairs of House of Representatives by House Resolution
No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2008 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 111–122, § 3(c), Dec. 22, 2009, 123 Stat. 3481, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by subsections (b),
(c), and (d) of the Child Soldiers Accountability Act of
2008 (Public Law 110–340) [probably means subsecs. (b)
to (d) of section 2 of Public Law 110–340, amending this
section and section 1227 of this title] shall apply to offenses committed before, on, or after the date of the enactment of the Child Soldiers Accountability Act of
2008 [Oct. 3, 2008].’’
Amendment by Pub. L. 110–229 effective on the transition program effective date described in section 1806 of
Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions, see section 705(b) of Pub. L. 110–229, set out as an Effective
Date note under section 1806 of Title 48.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2007 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 110–161, div. J, title VI, § 691(f), Dec. 26, 2007,
121 Stat. 2366, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made
by this section [amending this section] shall take effect
on the date of enactment of this section [Dec. 26, 2007],
and these amendments and sections 212(a)(3)(B) and
212(d)(3)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B) and 1182(d)(3)(B)), as amended by
these sections, shall apply to—
‘‘(1) removal proceedings instituted before, on, or
after the date of enactment of this section; and
‘‘(2) acts and conditions constituting a ground for
inadmissibility, excludability, deportation, or removal occurring or existing before, on, or after such
date.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2005 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 109–13, div. B, title I, § 103(d), May 11, 2005, 119
Stat. 308, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by
this section [amending this section] shall take effect on
the date of the enactment of this division [May 11,
2005], and these amendments, and section 212(a)(3)(B) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1182(a)(3)(B)), as amended by this section, shall apply
to—
‘‘(1) removal proceedings instituted before, on, or
after the date of the enactment of this division; and
‘‘(2) acts and conditions constituting a ground for
inadmissibility, excludability, deportation, or removal occurring or existing before, on, or after such
date.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2004 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 108–458, title V, § 5501(c), Dec. 17, 2004, 118
Stat. 3740, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by

§ 1182

this section [amending this section and section 1227 of
this title] shall apply to offenses committed before, on,
or after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 17,
2004].’’
Pub. L. 108–447, div. J, title IV, § 424(a)(2), Dec. 8, 2004,
118 Stat. 3355, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by
paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect
as if enacted on October 1, 2003.’’
Pub. L. 108–447, div. J, title IV, § 430, Dec. 8, 2004, 118
Stat. 3361, provided that:
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection
(b), this subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 421–430) of title IV of div.
J of Pub. L. 108–447, enacting section 1381 of this title,
amending this section, sections 1184, and 1356 of this
title, section 2916a of Title 29, Labor, and section 1869c
of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and
sections 1101 and 1184 of this title] and the amendments
made by this subtitle shall take effect 90 days after the
date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 8, 2004].
‘‘(b) EXCEPTIONS.—The amendments made by sections
422(b), 426(a), and 427 [amending sections 1184 and 1356
of this title] shall take effect upon the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 8, 2004].’’
EFFECTIVE AND TERMINATION DATES OF 2003
AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 108–77 effective on the date
the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement enters
into force (Jan. 1, 2004), and ceases to be effective on
the date the Agreement ceases to be in force, see section 107 of Pub. L. 108–77, set out in a note under section 3805 of Title 19, Customs Duties.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2002 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title I, § 11018(d), Nov. 2, 2002,
116 Stat. 1825, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made
by this section [amending this section, section 1184 of
this title, and provisions set out as a note under this
section] shall take effect as if this Act [see Tables for
classification] were enacted on May 31, 2002.’’
Pub. L. 107–150, § 2(b), Mar. 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 75, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by subsection (a)
[amending this section and section 1183a of this title]
shall apply with respect to deaths occurring before, on,
or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 13,
2002], except that, in the case of a death occurring before such date, such amendments shall apply only if—
‘‘(1) the sponsored alien—
‘‘(A) requests the Attorney General to reinstate
the classification petition that was filed with respect to the alien by the deceased and approved
under section 204 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) before such death; and
‘‘(B) demonstrates that he or she is able to satisfy
the requirement of section 212(a)(4)(C)(ii) of such
Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)(C)(ii)) by reason of such
amendments; and
‘‘(2) the Attorney General reinstates such petition
after making the determination described in section
213A(f)(5)(B)(ii) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1183a(f)(5)(B)(ii)]
(as amended by subsection (a)(1) of this Act).’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2001 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 107–56, title IV, § 411(c), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat.
348, provided that:
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided in
this subsection, the amendments made by this section
[amending this section and sections 1158, 1189, and 1227
of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 26, 2001] and shall apply to—
‘‘(A) actions taken by an alien before, on, or after
such date; and
‘‘(B) all aliens, without regard to the date of entry
or attempted entry into the United States—
‘‘(i) in removal proceedings on or after such date
(except for proceedings in which there has been a
final administrative decision before such date); or
‘‘(ii) seeking admission to the United States on or
after such date.

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

§ 1182

‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR ALIENS IN EXCLUSION OR DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, sections 212(a)(3)(B) and 237(a)(4)(B) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended by this
Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B), 1227(a)(4)(B)], shall apply to
all aliens in exclusion or deportation proceedings on or
after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 26,
2001] (except for proceedings in which there has been a
final administrative decision before such date) as if
such proceedings were removal proceedings.
‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULE FOR SECTION 219 ORGANIZATIONS AND
ORGANIZATIONS

DESIGNATED

UNDER

SECTION

212(a)(3)(B)(vi)(II).—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1)
and (2), no alien shall be considered inadmissible
under section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)), or deportable under
section 237(a)(4)(B) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(4)(B)),
by reason of the amendments made by subsection (a)
[amending this section], on the ground that the alien
engaged in a terrorist activity described in subclause
(IV)(bb), (V)(bb), or (VI)(cc) of section 212(a)(3)(B)(iv)
of such Act (as so amended) with respect to a group
at any time when the group was not a terrorist organization designated by the Secretary of State under
section 219 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) or otherwise
designated under section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi)(II) of such
Act (as so amended).
‘‘(B) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Subparagraph (A)
shall not be construed to prevent an alien from being
considered inadmissible or deportable for having engaged in a terrorist activity—
‘‘(i) described in subclause (IV)(bb), (V)(bb), or
(VI)(cc) of section 212(a)(3)(B)(iv) of such Act (as so
amended) with respect to a terrorist organization
at any time when such organization was designated
by the Secretary of State under section 219 of such
Act or otherwise designated under section
212(a)(3)(B)(vi)(II) of such Act (as so amended); or
‘‘(ii) described in subclause (IV)(cc), (V)(cc), or
(VI)(dd) of section 212(a)(3)(B)(iv) of such Act (as so
amended) with respect to a terrorist organization
described in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi)(III) of such Act
(as so amended).
‘‘(4) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, may determine that
the amendments made by this section shall not apply
with respect to actions by an alien taken outside the
United States before the date of the enactment of this
Act [Oct. 26, 2001] upon the recommendation of a consular officer who has concluded that there is not reasonable ground to believe that the alien knew or reasonably should have known that the actions would further a terrorist activity.’’
[Another section 411(c) of Pub. L. 107–56 amended section 1189 of this title.]
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2000 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 106–395, title II, § 201(b)(3), Oct. 30, 2000, 114
Stat. 1634, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by
paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall be effective
as if included in the enactment of section 347 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–638)
and shall apply to voting occurring before, on, or after
September 30, 1996. The amendment made by paragraph
(2) [amending this section] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of section 344 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of
1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–637) and shall
apply to representations made on or after September
30, 1996. Such amendments shall apply to individuals in
proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality
Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.] on or after September 30,
1996.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 106–95, § 2(e), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1317, as
amended by Pub. L. 109–423, § 2(2), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat.

Page 160

2900, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this
section [amending this section and section 1101 of this
title] shall apply to classification petitions filed for
nonimmigrant status only during the period—
‘‘(1) beginning on the date that interim or final regulations are first promulgated under subsection (d)
[set out as a note below]; and
‘‘(2) ending on the date that is 3 years after the date
of the enactment of the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Reauthorization Act of 2005 [Dec. 20,
2006].’’
[Pub. L. 109–423, § 3, Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2900, provided that: ‘‘The requirements of chapter 5 of title 5,
United States Code (commonly referred to as the ‘Administrative Procedure Act’) or any other law relating
to rulemaking, information collection or publication in
the Federal Register, shall not apply to any action to
implement the amendments made by section 2 [amending provisions set out as a note above] to the extent the
Secretary Homeland of Security [sic], the Secretary of
Labor, or the Secretary of Health and Human Services
determines that compliance with any such requirement
would impede the expeditious implementation of such
amendments.’’]
Pub. L. 106–95, § 4(b), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1318, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by subsection (a)
[amending this section] shall take effect on the date of
the enactment of this Act [Nov. 12, 1999], without regard to whether or not final regulations to carry out
such amendments have been promulgated by such
date.’’
EFFECTIVE AND TERMINATION DATES OF 1998
AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 105–292, title VI, § 604(b), Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat.
2814, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to aliens
seeking to enter the United States on or after the date
of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1998].’’
Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title IV, § 412(d), Oct. 21, 1998,
112 Stat. 2681–645, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] apply to
applications filed under section 212(n)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [subsec. (n)(1) of this section] on or after the date final regulations are issued to
carry out such amendments, and the amendments made
by subsections (b) and (c) [amending this section] take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 21,
1998].’’ [Interim final regulations implementing these
amendments were promulgated on Dec. 19, 2000, published Dec. 20, 2000, 65 F.R. 80110, and effective, except
as otherwise provided, Jan. 19, 2001.]
Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title IV, § 413(e)(2), Oct. 21, 1998,
112 Stat. 2681–651, as amended by Pub. L. 106–313, title
I, § 107(b), Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1255, provided that:
‘‘The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this
section] shall cease to be effective on September 30,
2003.’’
Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title IV, § 415(b), Oct. 21, 1998,
112 Stat. 2681–655, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] applies
to prevailing wage computations made—
‘‘(1) for applications filed on or after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998]; and
‘‘(2) for applications filed before such date, but only
to the extent that the computation is subject to an
administrative or judicial determination that is not
final as of such date.’’
Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title IV, § 431(b), Oct. 21, 1998,
112 Stat. 2681–658, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
apply to activities occurring on or after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998].’’
Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. B, title XXII, § 2226(b),
Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–821, provided that: ‘‘The
amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to aliens seeking admission to the
United States on or after the date of enactment of this
Act [Oct. 21, 1998].’’

Page 161

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 301(b)(3), Sept. 30,
1996, 110 Stat. 3009–578, provided that: ‘‘In applying section 212(a)(9)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)], as inserted by paragraph (1),
no period before the title III–A effective date [see section 309 of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title] shall be included in a period of
unlawful presence in the United States.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 301(c)(2), Sept. 30,
1996, 110 Stat. 3009–579, provided that: ‘‘The requirements of subclauses (II) and (III) of section
212(a)(6)(A)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
[8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)(ii)(II), (III)], as inserted by paragraph (1), shall not apply to an alien who demonstrates
that the alien first arrived in the United States before
the title III–A effective date (described in section 309(a)
of this division [set out as a note under section 1101 of
this title]).’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 306(d), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–612, provided that the amendment made
by section 306(d) is effective as if included in the enactment of Pub. L. 104–132.
Amendment by sections 301(b)(1), (c)(1), 304(b), 305(c),
306(d), and 308(c)(2)(B), (d)(1), (e)(1)(B), (C), (2)(A), (6),
(f)(1)(C)–(F), (3)(A), (g)(1), (4)(B), (10)(A), (H) of div. C of
Pub. L. 104–208 effective on the first day of the first
month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30,
1996, with certain transitional provisions, including authority for Attorney General to waive application of
subsec. (a)(9) of this section in case of an alien provided
benefits under section 301 of Pub. L. 101–649, set out as
a note under section 1255a of this title, and including
provision that no period of time before Sept. 30, 1996, be
included in the period of 1 year described in subsec.
(a)(6)(B)(i) of this section, see section 309 of Pub. L.
104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Amendment by section 322(a) of Pub. L. 104–208 applicable to convictions and sentences entered before, on,
or after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 322(c) of Pub. L.
104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 341(c), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–636, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by this section [amending this section] shall
apply with respect to applications for immigrant visas
or for adjustment of status filed after September 30,
1996.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 342(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–636, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act
[Sept. 30, 1996] and shall apply to incitement regardless
of when it occurs.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 344(c), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–637, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 1251 [now 1227] of this title] shall apply to representations made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 1996].’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 346(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–638, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
apply to aliens who obtain the status of a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)] after
the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 1996], including
aliens whose status as such a nonimmigrant is extended after the end of such period.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 347(c), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–639, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 1251 of this title] shall apply to voting occurring
before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this
Act [Sept. 30, 1996].’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 348(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–639 provided that: ‘‘The amendment made
by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall be effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30,

§ 1182

1996] and shall apply in the case of any alien who is in
exclusion or deportation proceedings as of such date
unless a final administrative order in such proceedings
has been entered as of such date.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 351(c), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–640, provided that: ‘‘The amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 1251 of this title] shall apply to applications for
waivers filed before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 1996], but shall not apply to
such an application for which a final determination has
been made as of the date of the enactment of this Act.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 352(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–641, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
apply to individuals who renounce United States citizenship on and after the date of the enactment of this
Act [Sept. 30, 1996].’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 358, Sept. 30, 1996, 110
Stat. 3009–644, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made
by this subtitle [subtitle D (§§ 354–358) of title III of div.
C of Pub. L. 104–208, amending this section and sections
1189, 1531, 1532, 1534, and 1535 of this title] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of subtitle A of
title IV of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–132).’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title V, § 531(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–675, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
apply to applications submitted on or after such date,
not earlier than 30 days and not later than 60 days after
the date the Attorney General promulgates under section 551(c)(2) of this division [set out as a note under
section 1183a of this title] a standard form for an affidavit of support, as the Attorney General shall specify,
but subparagraphs (C) and (D) of section 212(a)(4) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)(C),
(D)], as so amended, shall not apply to applications
with respect to which an official interview with an immigration officer was conducted before such effective
date.’’
EFFECTIVE AND TERMINATION DATES OF 1994
AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 103–416, title II, § 203(c), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat.
4311, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this
section [amending this section and section 1251 of this
title] shall apply to convictions occurring before, on, or
after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 25,
1994].’’
Amendment by section 219(e) of Pub. L. 103–416 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration
Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101–649, see section 219(dd) of Pub.
L. 103–416, set out as an Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 103–416, title II, § 219(z), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat.
4318, provided that the amendment made by subsec.
(z)(1), (5) of that section is effective as if included in the
Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Naturalization Amendments of 1991, Pub. L. 102–232.
Pub. L. 103–416, title II, § 220(c), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat.
4320, as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title VI,
§ 622(a), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–695; Pub. L. 107–273,
div. C, title I, § 11018(b), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1825; Pub.
L. 108–441, § 1(a)(1), Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2630; Pub. L.
109–477, § 2, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3572; Pub. L. 110–362,
§ 1, Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4013; Pub. L. 111–9, § 2, Mar. 20,
2009, 123 Stat. 989; Pub. L. 111–83, title V, § 568(b), Oct.
28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2186; Pub. L. 112–176, § 4, Sept. 28, 2012,
126 Stat. 1325, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made
by this section [amending this section and section 1184
of this title] shall apply to aliens admitted to the
United States under section 101(a)(15)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(J)], or
acquiring such status after admission to the United
States, before, on, or after the date of enactment of
this Act [Oct. 25, 1994] and before September 30, 2015.’’
[Pub. L. 109–477, § 3, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3572, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by section 2
[amending section 220(c) of Pub. L. 103–416, set out
above] shall take effect as if enacted on May 31, 2006.’’]

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

[Pub. L. 108–441, § 1(a)(2), Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2630,
provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by paragraph (1)
[amending section 220(c) of Pub. L. 103–416, set out
above] shall take effect as if enacted on May 31, 2004.’’]
Pub. L. 103–317, title V, § 506(c), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat.
1766, as amended by Pub. L. 105–46, § 123, Sept. 30, 1997,
111 Stat. 1158; Pub. L. 105–119, title I, § 111(b), Nov. 26,
1997, 111 Stat. 2458, provided that: ‘‘The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall
take effect on October 1, 1994, and shall cease to have
effect on October 1, 1997. The amendment made by subsection (b) [amending section 1255 of this title] shall
take effect on October 1, 1994.’’
Pub. L. 105–46, § 123, Sept. 30, 1997, 111 Stat. 1158,
which directed the amendment of section 506(c) of Pub.
L. 103–317, set out above, by striking ‘‘September 30,
1997’’ and inserting ‘‘October 23, 1997’’ was probably intended by Congress to extend the termination date
‘‘October 1, 1997’’ to ‘‘October 23, 1997’’. For further
temporary extensions of the October 23, 1997 termination date, see list of continuing appropriations acts
contained in a Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal
Year 1998 note set out under section 635f of Title 12,
Banks and Banking.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1993 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 103–43, title XX, § 2007(b), June 10, 1993, 107
Stat. 210, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect 30
days after the date of the enactment of this Act [June
10, 1993].’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1991 AMENDMENT
Amendment by sections 302(e)(6), 303(a)(5)(B), (6),
(7)(B), 306(a)(10), (12), 307(a)–(g) of Pub. L. 102–232 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration
Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101–649, see section 310(1) of Pub. L.
102–232, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 102–232, title III, § 302(e)(9), Dec. 12, 1991, 105
Stat. 1746, provided that the amendment made by section 302(e)(9) is effective as if included in the Immigration Nursing Relief Act of 1989, Pub. L. 101–238.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1990 AMENDMENT
Amendment by section 162(e)(1) of Pub. L. 101–649 effective Oct. 1, 1991, and applicable beginning with fiscal
year 1992, with general transition provisions and admissibility standards, see section 161(a), (c), (d) of Pub. L.
101–649, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Amendment by section 162(f)(2)(B) of Pub. L. 101–649
applicable as though included in the enactment of Pub.
L. 101–238, see section 162(f)(3) of Pub. L. 101–649, set out
as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 101–649, title II, § 202(c), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat.
5014, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this
section [amending this section and section 1184 of this
title] shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1990].’’
Amendment by section 205(c)(3) of Pub. L. 101–649 effective Oct. 1, 1991, see section 231 of Pub. L. 101–649, set
out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 101–649, title V, § 511(b), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat.
5052, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to admissions occurring after the date of the enactment of
this Act [Nov. 29, 1990].’’
Pub. L. 101–649, title V, § 514(b), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat.
5053, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to admissions occurring on or after January 1, 1991.’’
Amendment by section 601(a), (b), and (d) of Pub. L.
101–649 applicable to individuals entering United States
on or after June 1, 1991, see section 601(e)(1) of Pub. L.
101–649, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1989 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 101–238, § 3(d), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2103, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by the previous
provisions of this section [amending this section and

Page 162

section 1101 of this title] shall apply to classification
petitions filed for nonimmigrant status only during the
5-year period beginning on the first day of the 9th
month beginning after the date of the enactment of
this Act [Dec. 18, 1989].’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENTS
Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7349(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102
Stat. 4473, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by
subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to
any alien convicted of an aggravated felony who seeks
admission to the United States on or after the date of
the enactment of this Act [Nov. 18, 1988].’’
Pub. L. 100–525, § 3, Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2614, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective as if included in the enactment of Pub. L. 99–396.
Pub. L. 100–525, § 7(d), Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2617, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this section
[amending this section, sections 1186a and 1255 of this
title, and provisions set out as a note below] shall be effective as if they were included in the enactment of the
Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986 [Pub.
L. 99–639].’’
Amendment by section 8(f) of Pub. L. 100–525 effective
as if included in the enactment of the Immigration and
Nationality Act Amendments of 1986, Pub. L. 99–653, see
section 309(b)(15) of Pub. L. 102–232, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment note
under section 1101 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENTS
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–653 applicable to visas issued, and admissions occurring, on or after Nov. 14,
1986, see section 23(a) of Pub. L. 99–653, set out as a note
under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 99–639, § 6(c), formerly § 6(b), Nov. 10, 1986, 100
Stat. 3544, as redesignated and amended by Pub. L.
100–525, § 7(c)(2), Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2616, provided
that: ‘‘The amendment made by this section [amending
this section] shall apply to the receipt of visas by, and
the admission of, aliens occurring after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Nov. 10, 1986] based on fraud or
misrepresentations occurring before, on, or after such
date.’’
Pub. L. 99–570, title I, § 1751(c), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat.
3207–47, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by the
[sic] subsections (a) and (b) of this section [amending
this section and section 1251 of this title] shall apply to
convictions occurring before, on, or after the date of
the enactment of this section [Oct. 27, 1986], and the
amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this
section] shall apply to aliens entering the United
States after the date of the enactment of this section.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–473 effective Nov. 1, 1987,
and applicable only to offenses committed after the
taking effect of such amendment, see section 235(a)(1)
of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as an Effective Date note
under section 3551 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(c), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1614, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by paragraphs (2),
(5), and (6) of subsection (b) [striking out ‘‘including
any extension of the duration thereof under subparagraph (D)’’ in subsec. (j)(1)(C) of this section, amending
subsec. (j)(1)(D) of this section, and enacting subsec.
(j)(1)(E) of this section] shall apply to aliens entering
the United States as exchange visitors (or otherwise acquiring exchange visitor status) on or after January 10,
1978.’’
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–116 effective Dec. 29, 1981,
except as provided by section 5(c) of Pub. L. 97–116, see
section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116, set out as a note under
section 1101 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT
Amendment by section 203(d) of Pub. L. 96–212 effective, except as otherwise provided, Apr. 1, 1980, and

Page 163

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

§ 1182

amendment by section 203(f) of Pub. L. 96–212 applicable, except as otherwise provided, to aliens paroled into
the United States on or after the sixtieth day after
Mar. 17, 1980, see section 204 of Pub. L. 96–212, set out
as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(f)], as
added by the amendment made by paragraph (1), not
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act [Sept. 30, 1996].’’

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1979 AMENDMENT

United States Information Agency (other than Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting Bureau) abolished and functions transferred to
Secretary of State, see sections 6531 and 6532 of Title 22,
Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–70 effective Sept. 27, 1979,
see section 3201(d)(1) of Pub. L. 96–70, set out as a note
under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 96–70, title III, § 3201(d)(2), Sept. 27, 1979, 93
Stat. 497, provided that: ‘‘Paragraph (9) of section 212(d)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act [subsec. (d)(9)
of this section], as added by subsection (b) of this section, shall cease to be effective at the end of the transition period [midnight Mar. 31, 1982, see section 2101 of
Pub. L. 96–70, title II, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 493, formerly classified to section 3831 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse].’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENTS
Amendment by Pub. L. 94–571 effective on first day of
first month which begins more than sixty days after
Oct. 20, 1976, see section 10 of Pub. L. 94–571, set out as
a note under section 1101 of this title.
Amendment by section 601(d) of Pub. L. 94–484 applicable only on and after Jan. 10, 1978, notwithstanding
section 601(f) of Pub. L. 94–484, see section 602(d) of Pub.
L. 94–484, as added by section 307(q)(3) of Pub. L. 95–83,
set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note
under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 94–484, title VI, § 601(f), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat.
2303, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this
section [amending this section and section 1101 of this
title] shall take effect ninety days after the date of enactment of this section [Oct. 12, 1976].’’
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1965 AMENDMENT
For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 89–236 see
section 20 of Pub. L. 89–236, set out as a note under section 1151 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1956 AMENDMENT
Amendment by act July 18, 1956, effective July 19,
1956, see section 401 of act July 18, 1956.
CONSTRUCTION OF 1990 AMENDMENT
Pub. L. 102–232, title III, § 302(e)(6), Dec. 12, 1991, 105
Stat. 1746, provided that: ‘‘Paragraph (1) of section
162(e) of the Immigration Act of 1990 [Pub. L. 101–649,
amending this section] is repealed, and the provisions
of law amended by such paragraph are restored as
though such paragraph had not been enacted.’’
REGULATIONS
Pub. L. 106–95, § 2(d), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1316, provided that: ‘‘Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Nov. 12, 1999], the Secretary of
Labor (in consultation, to the extent required, with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services) and the Attorney General shall promulgate final or interim final
regulations to carry out section 212(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(m)] (as amended
by subsection (b)).’’ [Interim final regulations implementing subsec. (m) of this section were promulgated
Aug. 21, 2000, published Aug. 22, 2000, 65 F.R. 51138, and
effective Sept. 21, 2000.]
Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title IV, § 412(e), Oct. 21, 1998,
112 Stat. 2681–645, provided that: ‘‘In first promulgating
regulations to implement the amendments made by
this section [amending this section] in a timely manner, the Secretary of Labor and the Attorney General
may reduce to not less than 30 days the period of public
comment on proposed regulations.’’
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title I, § 124(b)(2), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–562, provided that: ‘‘The Attorney General shall first issue, in proposed form, regulations referred to in the second sentence of section 212(f) of the

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS

ABOLITION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
SERVICE AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization
Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related
references, see note set out under section 1551 of this
title.
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS; WAIVER OF CERTAIN
INADMISSIBILITY GROUNDS
Pub. L. 110–257, §§ 2, 3, July 1, 2008, 122 Stat. 2426, provided that:
‘‘SEC. 2. RELIEF FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS REGARDING
ADMISSIBILITY.
‘‘(a) EXEMPTION AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of State,
after consultation with the Attorney General and the
Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of
Homeland Security, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, may determine, in such Secretary’s sole and unreviewable discretion, that paragraphs (2)(A)(i)(I), (2)(B), and (3)(B)
(other than clause (i)(II)) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)) shall not
apply to an alien with respect to activities undertaken
in association with the African National Congress in
opposition to apartheid rule in South Africa.
‘‘(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
Homeland Security should immediately exercise in appropriate instances the authority in subsection (a) to
exempt the anti-apartheid activities of aliens who are
current or former officials of the Government of the
Republic of South Africa.
‘‘SEC. 3. REMOVAL OF CERTAIN AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS FROM CERTAIN UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DATABASES.
‘‘The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
and the Director of National Intelligence, shall take all
necessary steps to ensure that databases used to determine admissibility to the United States are updated so
that they are consistent with the exemptions provided
under section 2.’’
AVAILABILITY OF OTHER NONIMMIGRANT PROFESSIONALS
Pub. L. 110–229, title VII, § 702(k), May 8, 2008, 122
Stat. 867, provided that: ‘‘The requirements of section
212(m)(6)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1182(m)(6)(B)) shall not apply to a facility in
Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands.’’
REPORT ON DURESS WAIVERS
Pub. L. 110–161, div. J, title VI, § 691(e), Dec. 26, 2007,
121 Stat. 2365, provided that: ‘‘The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide to the Committees on the
Judiciary of the United States Senate and House of
Representatives a report, not less than 180 days after
the enactment of this Act [Dec. 26, 2007] and every year
thereafter, which may include a classified annex, if appropriate, describing—
‘‘(1) the number of individuals subject to removal
from the United States for having provided material
support to a terrorist group who allege that such support was provided under duress;

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

‘‘(2) a breakdown of the types of terrorist organizations to which the individuals described in paragraph
(1) have provided material support;
‘‘(3) a description of the factors that the Department of Homeland Security considers when evaluating duress waivers; and
‘‘(4) any other information that the Secretary believes that the Congress should consider while overseeing the Department’s application of duress waivers.’’
INADMISSIBILITY OF FOREIGN OFFICIALS AND FAMILY
MEMBERS INVOLVED IN KLEPTOCRACY
Pub. L. 112–74, div. I, title VII, § 7031(c), Dec. 23, 2011,
125 Stat. 1211, provided that:
‘‘(1) Officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members who the Secretary of State has
credible information have been involved in significant
corruption, including corruption related to the extraction of natural resources, shall be ineligible for entry
into the United States.
‘‘(2) Individuals shall not be ineligible if entry into
the United States would further important United
States law enforcement objectives or is necessary to
permit the United States to fulfill its obligations under
the United Nations Headquarters Agreement: Provided,
That nothing in this provision shall be construed to
derogate from United States Government obligations
under applicable international agreements.
‘‘(3) The Secretary may waive the application of paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that the waiver
would serve a compelling national interest or that the
circumstances which caused the individual to be ineligible have changed sufficiently.
‘‘(4) Not later than 90 days after enactment of this
Act [div. I of Pub. L. 112–74, approved Dec. 23, 2011] and
180 days thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit
a report, in classified form if necessary, to the Committees on Appropriations describing the information regarding corruption concerning each of the individuals
found ineligible pursuant to paragraph (1), a list of any
waivers provided under subsection (3), and the justification for each waiver.’’
Similar provisions were contained in the following
prior acts:
Pub. L. 111–117, div. F, title VII, § 7084, Dec. 16, 2009,
123 Stat. 3400.
Pub. L. 111–8, div. H, title VII, § 7086, Mar. 11, 2009, 123
Stat. 912.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. J, title VI, § 699L, Dec. 26, 2007, 121
Stat. 2373.
MONEY LAUNDERING WATCHLIST
Pub. L. 107–56, title X, § 1006(b), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat.
394, provided that: ‘‘Not later than 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 26, 2001], the
Secretary of State shall develop, implement, and certify to the Congress that there has been established a
money laundering watchlist, which identifies individuals worldwide who are known or suspected of money
laundering, which is readily accessible to, and shall be
checked by, a consular or other Federal official prior to
the issuance of a visa or admission to the United
States. The Secretary of State shall develop and continually update the watchlist in cooperation with the
Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, and
the Director of Central Intelligence.’’
[Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or
the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the
Director’s capacity as the head of the intelligence community deemed to be a reference to the Director of National Intelligence. Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director’s capacity as the head of
the Central Intelligence Agency deemed to be a reference to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. See section 1081(a), (b) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out as
a note under section 401 of Title 50, War and National
Defense.]

Page 164

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE REMEDY FOR
NURSING SHORTAGE
Pub. L. 106–95, § 3, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1317, provided that: ‘‘Not later than the last day of the 4-year
period described in section 2(e) [set out as a note
above], the Secretary of Health and Human Services
and the Secretary of Labor shall jointly submit to the
Congress recommendations (including legislative specifications) with respect to the following:
‘‘(1) A program to eliminate the dependence of facilities described in section 212(m)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(m)(6)] (as
amended by section 2(b)) on nonimmigrant registered
nurses by providing for a permanent solution to the
shortage of registered nurses who are United States
citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent
residence.
‘‘(2) A method of enforcing the requirements imposed on facilities under sections 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c)
and 212(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c), 1182(m)] (as amended by
section 2) that would be more effective than the process described in section 212(m)(2)(E) of such Act [8
U.S.C. 1182(m)(2)(E)] (as so amended).’’
ISSUANCE OF CERTIFIED STATEMENTS
Pub. L. 106–95, § 4(c), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1318, provided that: ‘‘The Commission on Graduates of Foreign
Nursing Schools, or any approved equivalent independent credentialing organization, shall issue certified
statements pursuant to the amendment under subsection (a) [amending this section] not more than 35
days after the receipt of a complete application for
such a statement.’’
EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZED PERIOD OF STAY FOR
CERTAIN NURSES
Pub. L. 104–302, § 1, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3656, provided that:
‘‘(a) ALIENS WHO PREVIOUSLY ENTERED THE UNITED
STATES PURSUANT TO AN H–1A VISA.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authorized period of stay in the
United States of any nonimmigrant described in
paragraph (2) is hereby extended through September
30, 1997.
‘‘(2) NONIMMIGRANT DESCRIBED.—A nonimmigrant
described in this paragraph is a nonimmigrant—
‘‘(A) who entered the United States as a nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(a) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(a)];
‘‘(B) who was within the United States on or after
September 1, 1995, and who is within the United
States on the date of the enactment of this Act
[Oct. 11, 1996]; and
‘‘(C) whose period of authorized stay has expired
or would expire before September 30, 1997 but for
the provisions of this section.
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS.—Nothing in this section may be
construed to extend the validity of any visa issued to
a
nonimmigrant
described
in
section
101(a)(15)(H)(i)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act or to authorize the re-entry of any person outside
the United States on the date of the enactment of
this Act.
‘‘(b) CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT.—A nonimmigrant
whose authorized period of stay is extended by operation of this section shall not be eligible to change employers in accordance with section 214.2(h)(2)(i)(D) of
title 8, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the
day before the date of the enactment of this Act).
‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall issue regulations to carry out the provisions
of this section.
‘‘(d) INTERIM TREATMENT.—A nonimmigrant whose
authorized period of stay is extended by operation of
this section, and the spouse and child of such non-

Page 165

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

immigrant, shall be considered as having continued to
maintain lawful status as a nonimmigrant through
September 30, 1997.’’
REFERENCES TO INADMISSIBLE DEEMED TO INCLUDE EXCLUDABLE AND REFERENCES TO ORDER OF REMOVAL
DEEMED TO INCLUDE ORDER OF EXCLUSION AND DEPORTATION

For purposes of carrying out this chapter, any reference in subsec. (a)(1)(A) of this section to ‘‘inadmissible’’ is deemed to include a reference to ‘‘excludable’’,
and any reference in law to an order of removal is
deemed to include a reference to an order of exclusion
and deportation or an order of deportation, see section
309(d) of Pub. L. 104–208, set out in an Effective Date of
1996 Amendment note under section 1101 of this title.
ANNUAL REPORT ON ALIENS PAROLED INTO UNITED
STATES
Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title VI, § 602(b), Sept. 30, 1996,
110 Stat. 3009–689, provided that: ‘‘Not later than 90
days after the end of each fiscal year, the Attorney
General shall submit a report to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate describing the
number and categories of aliens paroled into the United
States under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)]. Each such report
shall provide the total number of aliens paroled into
and residing in the United States and shall contain information and data for each country of origin concerning the number and categories of aliens paroled, the duration of parole, the current status of aliens paroled,
and the number and categories of aliens returned to the
custody from which they were paroled during the preceding fiscal year.’’
ASSISTANCE TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS
Pub. L. 103–447, title I, § 107, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat.
4695, provided that: ‘‘The President shall take all reasonable steps provided by law to ensure that the immediate relatives of any individual described in section
487(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2291f(a)), and the business partners of any such individual or of any entity described in such section, are not
permitted entry into the United States, consistent with
the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).’’
PROCESSING OF VISAS FOR ADMISSION TO UNITED
STATES
Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 140(c), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat.
399, as amended by Pub. L. 103–415, § 1(d), Oct. 25, 1994,
108 Stat. 4299, provided that:
‘‘(1)(A) Beginning 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 30, 1994], whenever a United
States consular officer issues a visa for admission to
the United States, that official shall certify, in writing,
that a check of the Automated Visa Lookout System,
or any other system or list which maintains information about the excludability of aliens under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.], has
been made and that there is no basis under such system
for the exclusion of such alien.
‘‘(B) If, at the time an alien applies for an immigrant
or nonimmigrant visa, the alien’s name is included in
the Department of State’s visa lookout system and the
consular officer to whom the application is made fails
to follow the procedures in processing the application
required by the inclusion of the alien’s name in such
system, the consular officer’s failure shall be made a
matter of record and shall be considered as a serious
negative factor in the officer’s annual performance
evaluation.
‘‘(2) If an alien to whom a visa was issued as a result
of a failure described in paragraph (1)(B) is admitted to
the United States and there is thereafter probable
cause to believe that the alien was a participant in a
terrorist act causing serious injury, loss of life, or sig-

§ 1182

nificant destruction of property in the United States,
the Secretary of State shall convene an Accountability
Review Board under the authority of title III of the
Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of
1986 [22 U.S.C. 4831 et seq.].’’
ACCESS TO INTERSTATE IDENTIFICATION INDEX OF NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER; FINGERPRINT
CHECKS
Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 140(d)–(g), Apr. 30, 1994, 108
Stat. 400, as amended by Pub. L. 103–317, title V, § 505,
Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1765; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title
VI, § 671(g)(2), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–724; Pub. L.
105–119, title I, § 126, Nov. 26, 1997, 111 Stat. 2471, provided that:
‘‘(d) ACCESS TO THE INTERSTATE IDENTIFICATION
INDEX.—
‘‘(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Department of State Consolidated Immigrant Visa Processing Center shall have on-line access, without payment of any fee or charge, to the Interstate Identification Index of the National Crime Information
Center solely for the purpose of determining whether
a visa applicant has a criminal history record indexed
in such Index. Such access does not entitle the Department of State to obtain the full content of automated records through the Interstate Identification
Index. To obtain the full content of a criminal history record, the Department shall submit a separate
request to the Identification Records Section of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and shall pay the
appropriate fee as provided for in the Departments of
Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1990 (Public Law
101–162) [103 Stat. 988, 998].
‘‘(2) The Department of State shall be responsible
for all one-time start-up and recurring incremental
non-personnel costs of establishing and maintaining
the access authorized in paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) The individual primarily responsible for the
day-to-day implementation of paragraph (1) shall be
an employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
selected by the Department of State, and detailed to
the Department on a fully reimbursable basis.
‘‘(e) FINGERPRINT CHECKS.—
‘‘(1) Effective not later than March 31, 1995, the Secretary of State shall in the ten countries with the
highest volume of immigrant visa issuance for the
most recent fiscal year for which data are available
require the fingerprinting of applicants over sixteen
years of age for immigrant visas. The Department of
State shall submit records of such fingerprints to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation in order to ascertain
whether such applicants previously have been convicted of a felony under State or Federal law in the
United States, and shall pay all appropriate fees.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall prescribe and publish such
regulations as may be necessary to implement the requirements of this subsection, and to avoid undue
processing costs and delays for eligible immigrants
and the United States Government.
‘‘(f) Not later than December 31, 1996, the Secretary
of State and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall jointly submit to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of
the House of Representatives, and the Committee on
Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary
of the Senate, a report on the effectiveness of the procedures authorized in subsections (d) and (e).
‘‘(g) Subsections (d) and (e) shall cease to have effect
after May 1, 1998.’’
VISA LOOKOUT SYSTEMS
Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 140(b), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat.
399, provided that: ‘‘Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 30, 1994], the
Secretary of State shall implement an upgrade of all
overseas visa lookout operations to computerized systems with automated multiple-name search capabilities.’’

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

Pub. L. 102–138, title I, § 128, Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 660,
as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III,
§ 308(d)(3)(C), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–617, provided
that:
‘‘(a) VISAS.—The Secretary of State may not include
in the Automated Visa Lookout System, or in any
other system or list which maintains information
about the inadmissibility of aliens under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.], the
name of any alien who is not inadmissible from the
United States under the Immigration and Nationality
Act, subject to the provisions of this section.
‘‘(b) CORRECTION OF LISTS.—Not later than 3 years
after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 1991],
the Secretary of State shall—
‘‘(1) correct the Automated Visa Lookout System,
or any other system or list which maintains information about the inadmissibility of aliens under the Immigration and Nationality Act, by deleting the name
of any alien not inadmissible under the Immigration
and Nationality Act; and
‘‘(2) report to the Congress concerning the completion of such correction process.
‘‘(c) REPORT ON CORRECTION PROCESS.—
‘‘(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 1991], the Secretary of
State, in coordination with the heads of other appropriate Government agencies, shall prepare and submit to the appropriate congressional committees, a
plan which sets forth the manner in which the Department of State will correct the Automated Visa
Lookout System, and any other system or list as set
forth in subsection (b).
‘‘(2) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 1991], the Secretary of State
shall report to the appropriate congressional committees on the progress made toward completing the correction of lists as set forth in subsection (b).
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—This section refers to the Immigration and Nationality Act as in effect on and after
June 1, 1991.
‘‘(e) LIMITATION.—
‘‘(1) The Secretary may add or retain in such system or list the names of aliens who are not inadmissible only if they are included for otherwise authorized law enforcement purposes or other lawful purposes of the Department of State. A name included
for other lawful purposes under this paragraph shall
include a notation which clearly and distinctly indicates that such person is not presently inadmissible.
The Secretary of State shall adopt procedures to ensure that visas are not denied to such individuals for
any reason not set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.].
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register regulations and standards concerning maintenance and use by the Department of State of systems
and lists for purposes described in paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) Nothing in this section may be construed as
creating new authority or expanding any existing authority for any activity not otherwise authorized by
law.
‘‘(f) DEFINITION.—As used in this section the term ‘appropriate congressional committees’ means the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate.’’
CHANGES IN LABOR CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Pub. L. 101–649, title I, § 122, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat.
4994, as amended by Pub. L. 103–416, title II, § 219(ff),
Oct. 25, 1995, 108 Stat. 4319, provided that:
‘‘[(a) Repealed. Pub. L. 103–416, title II, § 219(ff), Oct.
25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4319.]
‘‘(b) NOTICE IN LABOR CERTIFICATIONS.—The Secretary
of Labor shall provide, in the labor certification process under section 212(a)(5)(A) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)(A)], that—
‘‘(1) no certification may be made unless the applicant for certification has, at the time of filing the ap-

Page 166

plication, provided notice of the filing (A) to the bargaining representative (if any) of the employer’s employees in the occupational classification and area
for which aliens are sought, or (B) if there is no such
bargaining representative, to employees employed at
the facility through posting in conspicuous locations;
and
‘‘(2) any person may submit documentary evidence
bearing on the application for certification (such as
information on available workers, information on
wages and working conditions, and information on
the employer’s failure to meet terms and conditions
with respect to the employment of alien workers and
co-workers).’’
REVIEW OF EXCLUSION LISTS
Pub. L. 101–649, title VI, § 601(c), Nov. 29, 1990, 104
Stat. 5075, as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title
III, § 308(d)(3)(B), (f)(1)(Q), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat.
3009–617, 3009–621, provided that: ‘‘The Attorney General
and the Secretary of State shall develop protocols and
guidelines for updating lookout books and the automated visa lookout system and similar mechanisms for
the screening of aliens applying for visas for admission,
or for admission, to the United States. Such protocols
and guidelines shall be developed in a manner that ensures that in the case of an alien—
‘‘(1) whose name is in such system, and
‘‘(2) who either (A) applies for admission after the
effective date of the amendments made by this section [see Effective Date of 1990 Amendment note
above], or (B) requests (in writing to a local consular
office after such date) a review, without seeking admission, of the alien’s continued inadmissibility
under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C.
1101 et seq.],
if the alien is no longer inadmissible because of an
amendment made by this section the alien’s name shall
be removed from such books and system and the alien
shall be informed of such removal and if the alien continues to be inadmissible the alien shall be informed of
such determination.’’
IMPLEMENTATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION OF
NONIMMIGRANT NURSES DURING 5-YEAR PERIOD
Pub. L. 101–238, § 3(c), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2103, provided that: ‘‘The Secretary of Labor (in consultation
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services)
shall—
‘‘(1) first publish final regulations to carry out section 212(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8
U.S.C. 1182(m)] (as added by this section) not later
than the first day of the 8th month beginning after
the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 1989];
and
‘‘(2) provide for the appointment (by January 1,
1991) of an advisory group, including representatives
of the Secretary, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, the Attorney General, hospitals, and labor
organizations representing registered nurses, to advise the Secretary—
‘‘(A) concerning the impact of this section on the
nursing shortage,
‘‘(B) on programs that medical institutions may
implement to recruit and retain registered nurses
who are United States citizens or immigrants who
are authorized to perform nursing services,
‘‘(C) on the formulation of State recruitment and
retention plans under section 212(m)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and
‘‘(D) on the advisability of extending the amendments made by this section [amending sections 1101
and 1182 of this title] beyond the 5-year period described in subsection (d) [set out above].’’
PROHIBITION ON EXCLUSION OR DEPORTATION OF ALIENS
ON CERTAIN GROUNDS
Pub. L. 100–204, title IX, § 901, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat.
1399, as amended by Pub. L. 100–461, title V, § 555, Oct.

Page 167

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2268–36; Pub. L. 101–246, title I, § 128,
Feb. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 30, provided that no nonimmigrant alien was to be denied a visa or excluded
from admission into the United States, or subject to
deportation because of any past, current or expected
beliefs, statements or associations which, if engaged in
by a United States citizen in the United States, would
be protected under the Constitution of the United
States, and which provided construction regarding excludable aliens and standing to sue, prior to repeal by
Pub. L. 101–649, title VI, § 603(a)(21), Nov. 29, 1990, 104
Stat. 5084.
REGULATIONS GOVERNING ADMISSION, DETENTION, AND
TRAVEL OF NONIMMIGRANT ALIENS IN GUAM PURSUANT TO VISA WAIVERS
Pub. L. 99–396, § 14(b), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 842, as
amended by Pub. L. 100–525, § 3(1)(B), Oct. 24, 1988, 102
Stat. 2614, directed Attorney General to issue, within 90
days after Aug. 27, 1986, regulations governing the admission, detention, and travel of nonimmigrant aliens
pursuant to the visa waiver authorized by the amendment made by section 14(a) of Pub. L. 99–396, prior to
repeal by Pub. L. 101–649, title VI, § 603(a)(19), Nov. 29,
1990, 104 Stat. 5084.
ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
PROVISIONS AUTHORIZING WAIVER OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR NONIMMIGRANT VISITORS TO GUAM
Pub. L. 99–396, § 14(c), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 842, as
amended by Pub. L. 100–525, § 3(1)(B), (C), Oct. 24, 1988,
102 Stat. 2614, directed Attorney General to submit a
report each year on implementation of 8 U.S.C. 1182(l)
to Committees on the Judiciary and Interior and Insular Affairs of House of Representatives and Committees
on the Judiciary and Energy and Natural Resources of
Senate, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 101–649, title VI,
§ 603(a)(19), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5084.
SHARING OF INFORMATION CONCERNING DRUG
TRAFFICKERS
Pub. L. 99–93, title I, § 132, Aug. 16, 1985, 99 Stat. 420,
provided that:
‘‘(a) REPORTING SYSTEMS.—In order to ensure that
foreign narcotics traffickers are denied visas to enter
the United States, as required by section 212(a)(23) of
the Immigration and Naturalization Act ([former] 22 [8]
U.S.C. 1182(a)(23))—
‘‘(1) the Department of State shall cooperate with
United States law enforcement agencies, including
the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United
States Customs Service, in establishing a comprehensive information system on all drug arrests of foreign
nationals in the United States, so that that information may be communicated to the appropriate United
States embassies; and
‘‘(2) the National Drug Enforcement Policy Board
shall agree on uniform guidelines which would permit
the sharing of information on foreign drug traffickers.
‘‘(b) REPORT.—Not later than six months after the
date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 16, 1985], the
Chairman of the National Drug Enforcement Policy
Board shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on the
steps taken to implement this section.’’
[For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the
Department of the Treasury, including functions of the
Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and
557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department
of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of Novem-

§ 1182

ber 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section
542 of Title 6.]
REFUGEES FROM DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA (CAMBODIA);
TEMPORARY PAROLE INTO UNITED STATES FOR FISCAL
YEARS 1979 AND 1980
Pub. L. 95–431, title VI, § 605, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat.
1045, provided that it was the sense of Congress that
United States give special consideration to plight of
refugees from Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) and
that Attorney General should parole into United
States, under section 1182(d)(5) of this title for fiscal
year 1979, 7,500 aliens who are nationals or citizens of
Democratic Kampuchea and for fiscal year 1980, 7,500
such aliens.
RETROACTIVE ADJUSTMENT OF REFUGEE STATUS
Pub. L. 95–412, § 5, Oct. 5, 1978, 92 Stat. 909, as amended
by Pub. L. 96–212, title II, § 203(g), Mar. 17, 1980, 94 Stat.
108, provided that any refugee, not otherwise eligible
for retroactive adjustment of status, who was paroled
into United States by Attorney General pursuant to
section 1182(d)(5) of this title before Apr. 1, 1980, was to
have his status adjusted pursuant to section 1153(g) and
(h) of this title.
REPORT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES ON ADMISSION OF CERTAIN EXCLUDABLE
ALIENS
Pub. L. 95–370, title IV, § 401, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat.
627, directed Attorney General, by October 30, 1979, to
report to specific congressional committees on certain
cases of the admission to the United States of aliens
that may have been excludable under former section
1182(a)(27) to (29) of this title.
NATIONAL BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS EXAMINATION
Pub. L. 94–484, title VI, § 602(a), (b), as added by Pub.
L. 95–83, title III, § 307(q)(3), Aug. 1, 1977, 91 Stat. 395, eff.
Jan. 10, 1977, provided that an alien who is a graduate
of a medical school would be considered to have passed
parts I and II of the National Board of Medical Examiners Examination if the alien was on January 9, 1977, a
doctor of medicine fully and permanently licensed to
practice medicine in a State, held on that date a valid
specialty certificate issued by a constituent board of
the American Board of Medical Specialties, and was on
that date practicing medicine in a State, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–116, § 5(a)(3), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat.
1612.
LABOR CERTIFICATION FOR GRADUATES OF FOREIGN
MEDICAL SCHOOLS; DEVELOPMENT OF DATA BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE NOT
LATER THAN OCT. 12, 1977
Pub. L. 94–484, title IX, § 906, Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat.
2325, directed Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, not later than one year after Oct. 12, 1976, to develop sufficient data to enable the Secretary of Labor
to make equitable determinations with regard to applications for labor certification by graduates of foreign
medical schools, such data to include the number of
physicians (by specialty and by percent of population)
in a geographic area necessary to provide adequate
medical care, including such care in hospitals, nursing
homes, and other health care institutions, in such area.
RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEE-ESCAPEE; REPORTS; FORMULA; TERMINATION DATE; PERSONS DIFFICULT TO
RESETTLE; CREATION OF RECORD OF ADMISSION FOR
PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Pub. L. 86–648, §§ 1–4, 11, July 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 504, 505,
as amended by Pub. L. 87–510, § 6, June 28, 1962, 76 Stat.
124; Pub. L. 89–236, § 16, Oct. 3, 1965, 79 Stat. 919, provided:
‘‘[SECTION 1. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–236, § 16, Oct. 3, 1965,
79 Stat. 919.]
‘‘[SEC. 2. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–236, § 16, Oct. 3, 1965, 79
Stat. 919.]

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

§ 1182

‘‘SEC. 3. Any alien who was paroled into the United
States as a refugee-escapee, pursuant to section 1 of the
Act, whose parole has not theretofore been terminated
by the Attorney General pursuant to such regulations
as he may prescribe under the authority of section
212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [subsec. (d)(5) of this section]; and who has been in the
United States for at least two years, and who has not
acquired permanent residence, shall forthwith return
or be returned to the custody of the Immigration and
Naturalization Service and shall thereupon be inspected and examined for admission into the United
States, and his case dealt with in accordance with the
provisions of sections 235, 236, and 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [sections 1225, 1226, and
[former] 1227 of this title].
‘‘SEC. 4. Any alien who, pursuant to section 3 of this
Act, is found, upon inspection by the immigration officer or after hearing before a special inquiry officer, to
be admissible as an immigrant under the Immigration
and Nationality Act [this chapter] at the time of his inspection and examination, except for the fact that he
was not and is not in possession of the documents required by section 212(a)(20) of the said Act [former subsec. (a)(20) of this section], shall be regarded as lawfully
admitted to the United States for permanent residence
as of the date of his arrival.
*

*

*

*

*

‘‘[SEC. 11. Repealed. Pub. L. 89-236, § 16, Oct. 3, 1965, 79
Stat. 919.]’’
CREATION OF RECORD OF ADMISSION FOR PERMANENT
RESIDENCE IN THE CASE OF CERTAIN HUNGARIAN REFUGEES

Pub. L. 85–559, July 25, 1958, 72 Stat. 419, provided:
‘‘That any alien who was paroled into the United
States as a refugee from the Hungarian revolution
under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [subsection (d)(5) of this section] subsequent
to October 23, 1956, who has been in the United States
for at least two years, and who has not acquired permanent residence, shall forthwith return or be returned to
the custody of the Immigration and Naturalization
Service, and shall thereupon be inspected and examined
for admission into the United States, and his case dealt
with, in accordance with the provisions of sections 235,
236 and 237 of that Act [sections 1225, 1226 and [former]
1227 of this title].
‘‘SEC. 2. Any such alien who, pursuant to section 1 of
this Act, is found, upon inspection by an immigration
officer or after hearing before a special inquiry officer,
to have been and to be admissible as an immigrant at
the time of his arrival in the United States and at the
time of his inspection and examination, except for the
fact that he was not and is not in possession of the documents required by section 212(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [former subsection (a)(20) of
this section], shall be regarded as lawfully admitted to
the United States for permanent residence as of the
date of his arrival.
‘‘SEC. 3. Nothing contained in this Act shall be held
to repeal, amend, alter, modify, affect, or restrict the
powers, duties, functions, or authority of the Attorney
General in the administration and enforcement of the
Immigration and Nationality Act [this chapter] or any
other law relating to immigration, nationality, or naturalization.’’
PROC. NO. 4865. HIGH SEAS INTERDICTION OF ILLEGAL
ALIENS
Proc. No. 4865, Sept. 29, 1981, 46 F.R. 48107, provided:
The ongoing migration of persons to the United
States in violation of our laws is a serious national
problem detrimental to the interests of the United
States. A particularly difficult aspect of the problem is
the continuing illegal migration by sea of large numbers of undocumented aliens into the southeastern
United States. These arrivals have severely strained

Page 168

the law enforcement resources of the Immigration and
Naturalization Service and have threatened the welfare
and safety of communities in that region.
As a result of our discussions with the Governments
of affected foreign countries and with agencies of the
Executive Branch of our Government, I have determined that new and effective measures to curtail these
unlawful arrivals are necessary. In this regard, I have
determined that international cooperation to intercept
vessels trafficking in illegal migrants is a necessary
and proper means of insuring the effective enforcement
of our laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President
of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the
United States, including Sections 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (8
U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a)(1)), in order to protect the sovereignty of the United States, and in accordance with
cooperative arrangements with certain foreign governments, and having found that the entry of undocumented aliens, arriving at the borders of the United
States from the high seas, is detrimental to the interests of the United States, do proclaim that:
The entry of undocumented aliens from the high seas
is hereby suspended and shall be prevented by the
interdiction of certain vessels carrying such aliens.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this twenty-ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-one, and of
the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred and sixth.
RONALD REAGAN.
PROC. NO. 7750. TO SUSPEND ENTRY AS IMMIGRANTS OR
NONIMMIGRANTS OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN OR BENEFITING FROM CORRUPTION
Proc. No. 7750, Jan. 12, 2004, 69 F.R. 2287, provided:
In light of the importance of legitimate and transparent public institutions to world stability, peace, and
development, and the serious negative effects that corruption of public institutions has on the United States
efforts to promote security and to strengthen democratic institutions and free market systems, and in
light of the importance to the United States and the
international community of fighting corruption, as evidenced by the Third Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity and other intergovernmental efforts, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict
the international travel and to suspend the entry into
the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of
certain persons who have committed, participated in,
or are beneficiaries of corruption in the performance of
public functions where that corruption has serious adverse effects on international activity of U.S. businesses, U.S. foreign assistance goals, the security of the
United States against transnational crime and terrorism, or the stability of democratic institutions and nations.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United
States, including section 212(f) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act of 1952, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), and section 301
of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the
United States of persons described in section 1 of this
proclamation would, except as provided in sections 2
and 3 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States.
I therefore hereby proclaim that:
SECTION 1. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of the following persons is
hereby suspended:
(a) Public officials or former public officials whose
solicitation or acceptance of any article of monetary
value, or other benefit, in exchange for any act or omission in the performance of their public functions has or

Page 169

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

had serious adverse effects on the national interests of
the United States.
(b) Persons whose provision of or offer to provide any
article of monetary value or other benefit to any public
official in exchange for any act or omission in the performance of such official’s public functions has or had
serious adverse effects on the national interests of the
United States.
(c) Public officials or former public officials whose
misappropriation of public funds or interference with
the judicial, electoral, or other public processes has or
had serious adverse effects on the national interests of
the United States.
(d) The spouses, children, and dependent household
members of persons described in paragraphs (a), (b),
and (c) above, who are beneficiaries of any articles of
monetary value or other benefits obtained by such persons.
SEC. 2. Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply
with respect to any person otherwise covered by section 1 where entry of the person into the United States
would not be contrary to the interests of the United
States.
SEC. 3. Persons covered by sections 1 and 2 of this
proclamation shall be identified by the Secretary of
State or the Secretary’s designee, in his or her sole discretion, pursuant to such standards and procedures as
the Secretary may establish.
SEC. 4. For purposes of this proclamation, ‘‘serious
adverse effects on the national interests of the United
States’’ means serious adverse effects on the international economic activity of U.S. businesses, U.S. foreign assistance goals, the security of the United States
against transnational crime and terrorism, or the stability of democratic institutions and nations.
SEC. 5. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to derogate from United States Government obligations under applicable international agreements.
SEC. 6. The Secretary of State shall have responsibility for implementing this proclamation pursuant to
such procedures as the Secretary may, in the Secretary’s discretion, establish.
SEC. 7. This proclamation is effective immediately.
SEC. 8. This proclamation is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party,
against the United States, its departments, agencies, or
other entities, its officers or employees, or any other
person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this twelfth day of January, in the year of our
Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and twentyeighth.
GEORGE W. BUSH.
PROC. NO. 8342. TO SUSPEND ENTRY AS IMMIGRANTS AND
NONIMMIGRANTS OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILING TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN
PERSONS
Proc. No. 8342, Jan. 16, 2009, 74 F.R. 4093, provided:
In order to foster greater resolve to address trafficking in persons (TIP), specifically in punishing acts of
trafficking and providing protections to the victims of
these crimes, consistent with the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000, as amended (the ‘‘Act’’) (22
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), it is in the interests of the United
States to restrict the international travel and to suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants or
nonimmigrants, of certain senior government officials
responsible for domestic law enforcement, justice, or
labor affairs who have impeded their governments’
antitrafficking efforts, have failed to implement their
governments’ antitrafficking laws and policies, or who
otherwise bear responsibility for their governments’
failures to take steps recognized internationally as appropriate to combat trafficking in persons, and whose
governments have been ranked more than once as Tier
3 countries, which represent the worst anti-TIP per-

§ 1182

formers, in the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report, and for which I have made a determination pursuant to section 110(d)(1)–(2) or (4) of
the Act. The Act reflects international antitrafficking
standards that guide efforts to eradicate this modernday form of slavery around the world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, including section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f),
and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby
find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except
as provided for in sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation,
be detrimental to the interests of the United States.
I therefore hereby proclaim that:
SECTION 1. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of the following aliens is
hereby suspended:
(a) Senior government officials—defined as the heads
of ministries or agencies and officials occupying positions within the two bureaucratic levels below those
top positions—responsible for domestic law enforcement, justice, or labor affairs who have impeded their
governments’ antitrafficking efforts, have failed to implement their governments’ antitrafficking laws and
policies, or who otherwise bear responsibility for their
governments’ failures to take steps recognized internationally as appropriate to combat trafficking in persons, and who are members of governments for which I
have made a determination pursuant to section
110(d)(1)–(2) or (4) of the Act, in the current year and at
least once in the preceding 3 years;
(b) The spouses of persons described in subsection (a)
of this section.
SEC. 2. Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply
with respect to any person otherwise covered by section 1 where entry of such person would not be contrary
to the interest of the United States.
SEC. 3. Persons covered by sections 1 or 2 of this proclamation shall be identified by the Secretary of State
or the Secretary’s designee, in his or her sole discretion, pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary may
establish under section 5 of this proclamation.
SEC. 4. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to derogate from United States Government obligations under applicable international agreements.
SEC. 5. The Secretary of State shall implement this
proclamation pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland
Security, may establish.
SEC. 6. This proclamation is effective immediately. It
shall remain in effect until such time as the Secretary
of State determines that it is no longer necessary and
should be terminated, either in whole or in part. Any
such determination by the Secretary of State shall be
published in the Federal Register.
SEC. 7. This proclamation is not intended to, and does
not, create any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive
or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirtythird.
GEORGE W. BUSH.
PROC. NO. 8693. SUSPENSION OF ENTRY OF ALIENS SUBJECT TO UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL TRAVEL
BANS AND INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ECONOMIC POWERS ACT SANCTIONS
Proc. No. 8693, July 24, 2011, 76 F.R. 44751, provided:
In light of the firm commitment of the United States
to the preservation of international peace and security

§ 1182

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

and our obligations under the United Nations Charter
to carry out the decisions of the United Nations Security Council imposed under Chapter VII, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to
suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of aliens who are subject to
United Nations Security Council travel bans as of the
date of this proclamation. I have further determined
that the interests of the United States are served by
suspending the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of aliens whose property and
interests in property have been blocked by an Executive Order issued in whole or in part pursuant to the
President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, including
section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
of 1952, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of
title 3, United States Code[,] hereby find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the
United States of persons described in section 1 of this
proclamation would be detrimental to the interests of
the United States. I therefore hereby proclaim that:
SECTION 1. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of the following persons is
hereby suspended:
(a) Any alien who meets one or more of the specific
criteria for the imposition of a travel ban provided for
in a United Nations Security Council resolution referenced in Annex A to this proclamation.
(b) Any alien who meets one or more of the specific
criteria contained in an Executive Order referenced in
Annex B to this proclamation.
SEC. 2. Persons covered by section 1 of this proclamation shall be identified by the Secretary of State or the
Secretary’s designee, in his or her sole discretion, pursuant to such standards and procedures as the Secretary may establish.
SEC. 3. The Secretary of State shall have responsibility for implementing this proclamation pursuant to
such procedures as the Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish.
SEC. 4. Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply
with respect to any person otherwise covered by section 1 where entry of the person into the United States
would not be contrary to the interests of the United
States, as determined by the Secretary of State. In exercising the functions and authorities in the previous
sentence, the Secretary of State shall consult the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to admissibility or inadmissibility within the authority of
the Secretary of Homeland Security.
SEC. 5. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to require actions that would be inconsistent
with the United States [sic] obligations under applicable international agreements.
SEC. 6. This proclamation is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party
against the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other
person.
SEC. 7. This proclamation is effective immediately
and shall remain in effect until such time as the Secretary of State determines that it is no longer necessary and should be terminated, either in whole or in
part. Any such termination shall become effective upon
publication in the Federal Register.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our
Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA.

Page 170

PROC. NO. 8697. SUSPENSION OF ENTRY AS IMMIGRANTS
AND NONIMMIGRANTS OF PERSONS WHO PARTICIPATE IN
SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW VIOLATIONS AND OTHER ABUSES
Proc. No. 8697, Aug. 4, 2011, 76 F.R. 49277, provided:
The United States [sic] enduring commitment to respect for human rights and humanitarian law requires
that its Government be able to ensure that the United
States does not become a safe haven for serious violators of human rights and humanitarian law and those
who engage in other related abuses. Universal respect
for human rights and humanitarian law and the prevention of atrocities internationally promotes U.S. values
and fundamental U.S. interests in helping secure peace,
deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat
crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises around the globe. I therefore
have determined that it is in the interests of the
United States to take action to restrict the international travel and to suspend the entry into the
United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of certain persons who have engaged in the acts outlined in
section 1 of this proclamation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, including
section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
of 1952, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of
title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the
United States of persons described in section 1 of this
proclamation would be detrimental to the interests of
the United States. I therefore hereby proclaim that:
SECTION 1. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of the following persons is
hereby suspended:
(a) Any alien who planned, ordered, assisted, aided
and abetted, committed or otherwise participated in,
including through command responsibility, widespread
or systematic violence against any civilian population
based in whole or in part on race; color; descent; sex;
disability; membership in an indigenous group; language; religion; political opinion; national origin; ethnicity; membership in a particular social group; birth;
or sexual orientation or gender identity, or who attempted or conspired to do so.
(b) Any alien who planned, ordered, assisted, aided
and abetted, committed or otherwise participated in,
including through command responsibility, war crimes,
crimes against humanity or other serious violations of
human rights, or who attempted or conspired to do so.
SEC. 2. Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply
with respect to any person otherwise covered by section 1 where the entry of such person would not harm
the foreign relations interests of the United States.
SEC. 3. The Secretary of State, or the Secretary’s designee, in his or her sole discretion, shall identify persons covered by section 1 of this proclamation, pursuant to such standards and procedures as the Secretary
may establish.
SEC. 4. The Secretary of State shall have responsibility for implementing this proclamation pursuant to
such procedures as the Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish.
SEC. 5. For any person whose entry is otherwise suspended under this proclamation entry will be denied,
unless the Secretary of State determines that the particular entry of such person would be in the interests
of the United States. In exercising such authority, the
Secretary of State shall consult the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to admissibility or inadmissibility within the authority of the Secretary of
Homeland Security.
SEC. 6. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to derogate from United States Government obligations under applicable international agreements, or
to suspend entry based solely on an alien’s ideology,
opinions, or beliefs, or based solely on expression that
would be considered protected under U.S. interpreta-

Page 171

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

tions of international agreements to which the United
States is a party. Nothing in this proclamation shall be
construed to limit the authority of the United States
to admit or to suspend entry of particular individuals
into the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) or under any other
provision of U.S. law.
SEC. 7. This proclamation is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party
against the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other
person.
SEC. 8. This proclamation is effective immediately
and shall remain in effect until such time as the Secretary of State determines that it is no longer necessary and should be terminated, either in whole or in
part. Any such termination shall become effective upon
publication in the Federal Register.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirtysixth.
BARACK OBAMA.
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 12324
Ex. Ord. No. 12324, Sept. 29, 1981, 46 F.R. 48109, which
directed Secretary of State to enter into cooperative
arrangements with foreign governments for purpose of
preventing illegal migration to United States by sea,
directed Secretary of the Department in which the
Coast Guard is operating to issue appropriate instructions to Coast Guard to enforce suspension of entry of
undocumented aliens and interdiction of any defined
vessel carrying such aliens, and directed Attorney General to ensure fair enforcement of immigration laws
and strict observance of international obligations of
United States concerning those who genuinely flee persecution in their homeland, was revoked and replaced
by Ex. Ord. No. 12807, § 4, May 24, 1992, 57 F.R. 23134, set
out below.
EX. ORD. NO. 12807. INTERDICTION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS
Ex. Ord. No. 12807, May 24, 1992, 57 F.R. 23133, as
amended by Ex. Ord. No. 13286, § 30, Feb. 28, 2003, 68 F.R.
10625, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (8 U.S.C.
1182(f) and 1185(a)(1)), and whereas:
(1) The President has authority to suspend the entry
of aliens coming by sea to the United States without
necessary documentation, to establish reasonable rules
and regulations regarding, and other limitations on,
the entry or attempted entry of aliens into the United
States, and to repatriate aliens interdicted beyond the
territorial sea of the United States;
(2) The international legal obligations of the United
States under the United Nations Protocol Relating to
the Status of Refugees (U.S. T.I.A.S. 6577; 19 U.S.T.
6223) to apply Article 33 of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees do not extend
to persons located outside the territory of the United
States;
(3) Proclamation No. 4865 [set out above] suspends the
entry of all undocumented aliens into the United
States by the high seas; and
(4) There continues to be a serious problem of persons
attempting to come to the United States by sea without necessary documentation and otherwise illegally;
I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of
America, hereby order as follows:
SECTION 1. The Secretary of State shall undertake to
enter into, on behalf of the United States, cooperative
arrangements with appropriate foreign governments
for the purpose of preventing illegal migration to the
United States by sea.

§ 1182

SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of the Department in which
the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation, where
appropriate, with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State, shall issue appropriate instructions to the Coast Guard in order to
enforce the suspension of the entry of undocumented
aliens by sea and the interdiction of any defined vessel
carrying such aliens.
(b) Those instructions shall apply to any of the following defined vessels:
(1) Vessels of the United States, meaning any vessel
documented or numbered pursuant to the laws of the
United States, or owned in whole or in part by the
United States, a citizen of the United States, or a corporation incorporated under the laws of the United
States or any State, Territory, District, Commonwealth, or possession thereof, unless the vessel has
been granted nationality by a foreign nation in accord
with Article 5 of the Convention on the High Seas of
1958 (U.S. T.I.A.S. 5200; 13 U.S.T. 2312).
(2) Vessels without nationality or vessels assimilated
to vessels without nationality in accordance with paragraph (2) of Article 6 of the Convention on the High
Seas of 1958 (U.S. T.I.A.S. 5200; 13 U.S.T. 2312).
(3) Vessels of foreign nations with whom we have arrangements authorizing the United States to stop and
board such vessels.
(c) Those instructions to the Coast Guard shall include appropriate directives providing for the Coast
Guard:
(1) To stop and board defined vessels, when there is
reason to believe that such vessels are engaged in the
irregular transportation of persons or violations of
United States law or the law of a country with which
the United States has an arrangement authorizing such
action.
(2) To make inquiries of those on board, examine documents and take such actions as are necessary to carry
out this order.
(3) To return the vessel and its passengers to the
country from which it came, or to another country,
when there is reason to believe that an offense is being
committed against the United States immigration
laws, or appropriate laws of a foreign country with
which we have an arrangement to assist; provided, however, that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in his
unreviewable discretion, may decide that a person who
is a refugee will not be returned without his consent.
(d) These actions, pursuant to this section, are authorized to be undertaken only beyond the territorial
sea of the United States.
SEC. 3. This order is intended only to improve the internal management of the Executive Branch. Neither
this order nor any agency guidelines, procedures, instructions, directives, rules or regulations implementing this order shall create, or shall be construed to create, any right or benefit, substantive or procedural (including without limitation any right or benefit under
the Administrative Procedure Act [5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.,
701 et seq.]), legally enforceable by any party against
the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, officers, employees, or any other person. Nor shall this
order be construed to require any procedures to determine whether a person is a refugee.
SEC. 4. Executive Order No. 12324 is hereby revoked
and replaced by this order.
SEC. 5. This order shall be effective immediately.
GEORGE BUSH.
EX. ORD. NO. 13276. DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
CONCERNING UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS INTERDICTED OR
INTERCEPTED IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION
Ex. Ord. No. 13276, Nov. 15, 2002, 67 F.R. 69985, as
amended by Ex. Ord. No. 13286, § 1, Feb. 28, 2003, 68 F.R.
10619, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (8 U.S.C.

§§ 1182a to 1182c

TITLE 8—ALIENS AND NATIONALITY

1182(f) and 1185(a)(1)), and section 301 of title 3, United
States Code, and in order to delegate appropriate responsibilities to Federal agencies for responding to migration of undocumented aliens in the Caribbean region, it is hereby ordered:
SECTION 1. Duties and Authorities of Agency Heads.
Consistent with applicable law,
(a)(i) The Secretary of Homeland Security may maintain custody, at any location he deems appropriate, of
any undocumented aliens he has reason to believe are
seeking to enter the United States and who are interdicted or intercepted in the Caribbean region. In this
regard, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide and operate a facility, or facilities, to house and
provide for the needs of any such aliens. Such a facility
may be located at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base or any
other appropriate location.
(ii) The Secretary of Homeland Security may conduct
any screening of such aliens that he deems appropriate,
including screening to determine whether such aliens
should be returned to their country of origin or transit,
or whether they are persons in need of protection who
should not be returned without their consent. If the
Secretary of Homeland Security institutes such screening, then until a determination is made, the Secretary
of Homeland Security shall provide for the custody,
care, safety, transportation, and other needs of the
aliens. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall continue to provide for the custody, care, safety, transportation, and other needs of aliens who are determined
not to be persons in need of protection until such time
as they are returned to their country of origin or transit.
(b) The Secretary of State shall provide for the custody, care, safety, transportation, and other needs of
undocumented aliens interdicted or intercepted in the
Caribbean region whom the Secretary of Homeland Security has identified as persons in need of protection.
The Secretary of State shall provide for and execute a
process for resettling such persons in need of protection, as appropriate, in countries other than their
country of origin, and shall also undertake such diplomatic efforts as may be necessary to address the problem of illegal migration of aliens in the Caribbean region and to facilitate the return of those aliens who are
determined not to be persons in need of protection.
(c)(i) The Secretary of Defense shall make available
to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State, for the housing and care of any undocumented aliens interdicted or intercepted in the Caribbean region and taken into their custody, any facilities
at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base that are excess to current military needs and the provision of which does not
interfere with the operation and security of the base.
The Secretary of Defense shall be responsible for providing access to such facilities and perimeter security.
The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary
of State, respectively, shall be responsible for reimbursement for necessary supporting utilities.
(ii) In the event of a mass migration in the Caribbean
region, the Secretary of Defense shall provide support
to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State in carrying out the duties described in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section regarding the custody, care, safety, transportation, and other needs of
the aliens, and shall assume primary responsibility for
these duties on a nonreimbursable basis as necessary to
contain the threat to national security posed by the
migration. The Secretary of Defense shall also provide
support to the Coast Guard in carrying out the duties
described in Executive Order 12807 of May 24, 1992 [set
out above], regarding interdiction of migrants.
SEC. 2. Definitions. For purposes of this order, the
term ‘‘mass migration’’ means a migration of undocumented aliens that is of such magnitude and duration
that it poses a threat to the national security of the
United States, as determined by the President.
SEC. 3. Scope.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair
or otherwise affect the authorities and responsibilities

Page 172

set forth in Executive Order 12807 of May 24, 1992 [set
out above].
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to make
reviewable in any judicial or administrative proceeding, or otherwise, any action, omission, or matter that
otherwise would not be reviewable.
(c) This order is intended only to improve the management of the executive branch. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity
or otherwise against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, instrumentalities, officers,
employees, or any other person.
(d) Any agency assigned any duties by this order may
use the provisions of the Economy Act, 31 U.S.C. 1535
and 1536, to carry out such duties, to the extent permitted by such Act.
(e) This order shall not be construed to require any
procedure to determine whether a person is a refugee or
otherwise in need of protection.
GEORGE W. BUSH.
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY UNDER SECTIONS 1182(f) AND
1185(a)(1) OF THIS TITLE
Memorandum of President of the United States, Sept.
24, 1999, 64 F.R. 55809, provided:
Memorandum for the Attorney General
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (8 U.S.C.
1182(f) and 1185(a)(1)), and in light of Proclamation 4865
of September 29, 1981 [set out above], I hereby delegate
to the Attorney General the authority to:
(a) Maintain custody, at any location she deems appropriate, and conduct any screening she deems appropriate in her unreviewable discretion, of any undocumented person she has reason to believe is seeking to enter the United States and who is encountered in a vessel interdicted on the high seas through
December 31, 2000; and
(b) Undertake any other appropriate actions with
respect to such aliens permitted by law.
With respect to the functions delegated by this order,
all actions taken after April 16, 1999, for or on behalf of
the President that would have been valid if taken pursuant to this memorandum are ratified.
This memorandum is not intended to create, and
should not be construed to create, any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, legally enforceable by any
party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, officers, employees, or any other person,
or to require any procedures to determine whether a
person is a refugee.
You are authorized and directed to publish this
memorandum in the Federal Register.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON.

§§ 1182a to 1182c. Repealed. Pub. L. 87–301,
§ 24(a)(1), (3), Sept. 26, 1961, 75 Stat. 657
Section 1182a, act Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1254, § 4, 68 Stat.
1145, related to admission of aliens who were either
convicted, or who admitted the commission, of a misdemeanor.
Section 1182b, Pub. L. 85–316, § 5, Sept. 11, 1957, 71
Stat. 640, permitted admission of an alien spouse, child
or parent excludable for crime involving moral turpitude in cases of hardship, when not contrary to national welfare or security, and with Attorney General’s
consent, and under conditions and procedures prescribed by him. See section 1182(h) of this title.
Section 1182c, Pub. L. 85–316, § 6, Sept. 11, 1957, 71 Stat.
640; Pub. L. 86–253, § 1, Sept. 9, 1959, 73 Stat. 490, authorized admission of an alien spouse, child, or parent of a
United States citizen afflicted with tuberculosis under
terms, conditions and controls prescribed by Attorney
General. See section 1182(g) of this title.