I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2922 
To amend the section 221 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide 
relief for adoptive families from immigrant visa fees in certain situations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona (for himself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. SCHIFF, 
Mr. RUSH, Mr. BEYER, Mr. SALMON, Mr. LEWIS, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. 
HUIZENGA of Michigan, Mr. KLINE, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. 
NOLAN, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. HAS-
TINGS, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. 
ROKITA, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. POCAN, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mrs. 
WAGNER, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mrs. HARTZLER, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. 
JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mrs. 
LUMMIS, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
DUFFY, Mr. PITTENGER, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. MESSER, 
Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. CICILLINE, and Mr. 
FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the section 221 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act to provide relief for adoptive families from 
immigrant visa fees in certain situations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:00 Jul 01, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2922.IH
H2922
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Adoptive Family Relief 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. WAIVER OF FEES FOR RENEWAL OF IMMIGRANT 
VISA FOR ADOPTED CHILD IN CERTAIN SITU-
ATIONS. 
Section 221(c) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(c)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) PERIOD OF VALIDITY; RENEWAL OR REPLACE-
MENT.— 
‘‘(1) IMMIGRANT
VISAS.—An immigrant visa 
shall be valid for such period, not exceeding six 
months, as shall be by regulations prescribed, except 
that any visa issued to a child lawfully adopted by 
a United States citizen and spouse while such citizen 
is serving abroad in the United States Armed 
Forces, or is employed abroad by the United States 
Government, or is temporarily abroad on business, 
shall be valid until such time, for a period not to ex-
ceed three years, as the adoptive citizen parent re-
turns to the United States in due course of his serv-
ice, employment, or business. 
‘‘(2) NONIMMIGRANT VISAS.—A nonimmigrant 
visa shall be valid for such periods as shall be by 
regulations prescribed. In prescribing the period of 
validity of a nonimmigrant visa in the case of na-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:00 Jul 01, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2922.IH
H2922
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) is found by a consular officer to be 
eligible for an immigrant visa; and 
‘‘(C) pays again the statutory fees for an 
application and an immigrant visa. 
‘‘(4) FEE WAIVER.—If an immigrant visa was 
issued, on or after March 27, 2013, for a child who 
has been lawfully adopted, or who is coming to the 
United States to be adopted, by a United States cit-
izen, any statutory immigrant visa fees relating to a 
renewal or replacement of such visa may be waived 
or, if already paid, may be refunded upon request, 
subject to such criteria as the Secretary of State 
may prescribe, if— 
‘‘(A) the immigrant child was unable to 
use the original immigrant visa during the pe-
riod of its validity as a direct result of extraor-
dinary circumstances, including the denial of an 
exit permit; and 
‘‘(B) if such inability was attributable to 
factors beyond the control of the adopting par-
ent or parents and of the immigrant.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:00 Jul 01, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2922.IH
H2922
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS