S Visa Category Permanently Extended
Posted Oct 12, 2001

The President has signed a law that permanently extends the availability of the S visa category. The prior provision of law that authorized the S visa expired on September 12, 2001.

The S visa, sometimes referred to as the "Snitch Visa," includes two categories - the S-1 and the S-2. S-1 is for a person who has important information on a criminal organization and whose presence is needed by the law enforcement authorities investigating or prosecuting the matter. An example of a criminal organization would be a drug trafficking cartel. The S-2 is for a person supplying key and reliable information to law enforcement regarding a terrorist organization, and in doing so, is placing him or herself in danger. Thus, S-2 is a type of witness protection provision. The element of danger is not required for the S-1, but it is likely that many S-1s are also in vulnerable positions and may be able to obtain some type of appropriate protection.

With the current concern regarding terrorist crimes, Congress was very prompt in passing the law to reauthorize the S visa category. Hopefully this legislation will result in bringing prosecutions related to the September 11, 2001 attacks.