Temporary Family Visitation Act

Bill: 116-hr-8617
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-52]
Introduced: 2020-10-16
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Family relationships

Health care costs and insurance

Immigration status and procedures

Travel and tourism

Visas and passports
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-16
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Temporary Family Visitation Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes a new nonimmigrant visa category (B-3) for an eligible alien to enter the United States to visit certain relatives.</p> <p>To qualify for a B-3 visa, the alien must (1) be visiting a qualifying relative (such as a child, parent, uncle, or aunt) who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, (2) have an affidavit of support executed by the U.S.-based relative or another sponsor, and (3) have travel medical insurance covering the duration of the visit. (An affidavit of support is a contract in which the sponsor agrees to financially support the alien during the alien's stay in the United States, if necessary.)</p> <p>The Department of State may waive any of these requirements for public interest purposes, such as to assure family unity.</p> <p>The period of stay for a B-3 visa may be for up to 120 days.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8617 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 16, 2020 Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Rooney of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish a new nonimmigrant category for alien family members of United States citizens and permanent residents seeking to enter the United States temporarily to visit their relatives, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Temporary Family Visitation Act . 2. New nonimmigrant category for family members of United States citizens and permanent residents seeking to enter the United States temporarily Section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(B) ) is amended— (1) by striking and who is visiting the United States temporarily for business or temporarily for pleasure; at the end; and (2) by adding at the end the following: and who is visiting the United States temporarily for— (i) business; (ii) pleasure; or (iii) family purposes. . 3. Requirements applicable to section 101( a )(15)( B )( iii ) visas (a) In general Section 214 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1184 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (s) Requirements applicable to section 101 (a)(15)(B)(iii) visas (1) Definition For the purpose of this subsection and section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii)— (A) the term family purposes means any visits to relatives for social, occasional, or other purposes; and (B) the term relative means the spouse, children, sons, daughters, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews of a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. (2) Requirement Any alien who seeks admission under a visa issued under section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) is inadmissible under this paragraph unless— (A) the person petitioning for the alien relative’s admission or any additional sponsor has executed an affidavit of support described in section 213 with respect to such alien; and (B) the alien has obtained a travel medical insurance policy for the duration of stay with minimum policy requirements determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security. (3) Period of authorized admission The period of authorized admission under section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) shall not exceed 120 days. . (b) Attestation Section 213A(f)(1)(D) of such Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1183A(f)(1)(D) ) is amended by striking section 204 and inserting section 204 and 101(15)(B)(iii) . 4. Restriction applicable to section 101( a )(15)( B )( iii ) visas Section 248(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1258(a)(1) ) is amended to read as follows: (1) an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (B)(iii), (C), (D), (K), or (S) of section 101(a)(15). . 5. Waivers applicable to section 101( a )(15)( B )( iii ) visas The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may waive any requirement applicable to section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) visas for humanitarian purposes, to assure family unity, or when it is otherwise in the public interest. The Secretary of State shall provide for the annual reporting to Congress of the number of waivers granted under this paragraph in the previous fiscal year and a summary of the reasons for granting such waivers.