State Department Delegates Visa Bond Waiver Authority to Senior Consular Officials

The State Department issued a notice delegating its authority to waive visa bond requirements under 22 CFR 41.11(c)(3) to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services. This is an internal administrative change specifying who may authorize such waivers on behalf of the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs.

Key points

• The delegation concerns the Visa Bond Program authority to waive bond requirements for an alien, country, or category of aliens.
• Authority is delegated to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services.
• A waiver may be granted if it is determined not to be contrary to the national interest of the United States.
• The Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs retains the ability to exercise this authority as well.
• The authority must be exercised by an Officer of the United States, to the extent authorized by law.

Who is affected

This affects internal State Department procedures and, indirectly, aliens, countries, or categories of aliens who may be subject to the Visa Bond Program.

What to do