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. © The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C.
	Disclaimer : The information provided at this site is of a general nature and may not apply to any particular set of facts or under all circumstances. It should not be construed as legal advice and does not constitute an engagement of the Law Office of Sheela Murthy or establish an attorney-client relationship. Copyright : Documents from this site may be printed as long as the copyright notices are included on the print-outs and the documents are not modified or altered.