New Visa Form DS-157 Effective Immediately
Posted Jan 18, 2002

For the benefit of our MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom readers, we are alerting Nonimmigrant Visa applicants on the issuance of a new, supplemental, Nonimmigrant Visa application, which is effective immediately. On January 11, 2002, the U.S. Secretary of State announced the introduction of a new form, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-157). It was announced that all male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45, regardless of nationality and regardless of where they apply, must complete this new form, DS-157. The form must be submitted in addition to the usual Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-156), previously known as Form OF-156.

Form DS-157 is intended as an interim security measure following the September 11^th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. Form DS-157 will enable U.S. consular posts to obtain certain information on the applicant and, if necessary, a security advisory opinion (SAO). The SAO procedures will be announced separately. We will report the SAO procedures for the benefit of our readers, once they are issued.

The use of Form DS-157 is now mandatory for all male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45, as set forth above. The procedure is to submit Form DS-157 in the same language as that which is contained in the submitted Form DS-156. The consular posts will then translate the DS-157 locally. The Department of State issued a clarification that all A, G, and NATO applicants are exempt from this requirement, with the exception of A-3, G-5, and NATO-7 applicants. Diplomats, officials, and employees of foreign governments are issued "A" visas. Representatives, officers, and employees of certain international organizations are issued "G" visas. Officials, employees, and persons associated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are issued "NATO" status. Attendants, servants, and personal employees of A, G, and NATO nonimmigrants are issued "A-3," "G-5," and "NATO-7" status, respectively.

In addition, consular posts have discretion to require that any other nonimmigrant applicant submit Form DS-157 if the post decides a particular case necessitates the additional form.

Form DS-157 is not yet available to the general public but will soon be available on the DOS' WebSite. When we obtain additional information concerning this new form, we will be sure to share it with our MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom readers.