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| MAIN            TOPIC AREASWhat              is a Visa?U.S.              Visa PolicyHow              to Get a VisaVisa              NewsGet              UpdatesLocate              a Consular Office
**A Message from                     President Bush:**

"America is not a fortress; no, we never want to be a fortress. We're a free country; we're an open society. And we must always protect the rights of our law -- of law-abiding citizens from around the world who come here to conduct business or to study or to spend time with their family."*-- 14 May 2002, President Bush Signs Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act* |  | **Welcome to UnitedStatesVisas.gov**,        an official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures.        Use this site to learn about the visa application process, understand        current requirements, and get updates on recent developments. 

This site serves as a single point of access to U.S.        visa information. It will connect you to additional, in-depth information        found on Web sites managed by the U.S. State Department and the U.S.        Department of Homeland Security. 

To find information specific to your country or region,        you may also go to the Web site of your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate        by clicking Locate a Consular        Office.
**DOING                      BUSINESS** and **WORKING** in the U.S."My company's headquarters                  is in the United States. I go there several times a year on                  business."** Learn                            more »****STUDYING** in                    the U.S. and coming on an exchange"After I got my M.A. degree                  in English language and literature in my home country, I got                  my PhD. in the U.S."** Learn                            more »****VISITING** the                    U.S."We visited the United States as tourists,                  starting in New York and ending in California."** Learn                            more »****COMING                      PERMANENTLY**                  to the U.S."We joined our children in                  the United States and became permanent residents."** Learn                            more »** |  |  | **VISA                BASICS**
              For more than 50 years, the United States of America has required                visas to study, visit, or conduct business in the U.S. While                changes have been made recently to U.S. visa law, many procedures                remain the same. To learn more, read this step-by-step guide                to the visa process.   
**VISA                NEWS**» 
Starting January 5, foreign visitors entering the United States with a visa are subject to new requirements under a program designed to both enhance U.S. border security and ease travel.Read more »
» 
The Bush administration will launch a new security program January 5, 2004, that will serve the dual purpose of speeding the entry of legal foreign visitors into the United States while keeping out potential security threats.Read more » |  |
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