Since America is revisiting its immigration policies, it’s time to revisit the visas we grant to non-immigrants, since the concerns their entries raise often overlap with immigrant issues.

From 2000 to 2008, the United States issued between 5 and 8 million non-immigrant visas a year. From 2010 through 2019, before 2020 when the world fell down the COVID rat hole, the number ranged between 7 and 11 million. Nonimmigrant (temporary) visas are obtained by applying at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad. With most countries, the US has a visa reciprocity schedule that allows for the issuance of multiple-year visas, up to ten years for nationals from around 110 countries.

In 2000, there were 33.7 million nonimmigrant admissions into the US, with about 10% of them being individuals making multiple trips. By 2019, that number had more than doubled to 81.6 million. Admission includes those with visas, those nationals of 42 countries allowed in under the visa waiver program, and holders of Mexican border crossing cards (BCC). People obtain entry by presenting themselves at a designated point of entry (air, sea, land), where an Immigration Officer can admit them.

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U.S. Customs and Borders. Rawpixel public domain.

The vast majority of nonimmigrant visas issued and admissions granted are for visitors for business or pleasure, the B-1/B-2 category. Each entry is limited, usually to 90 or 180 days. The rest of the visa categories cover a wide range—diplomats, air crews, students, investors, certain relatives, workers of all sorts, and a smattering of infrequently used classifications.

One thing all nonimmigrant admissions (except for fiancés and certain relatives) have in common is that they assure the Consular Officer issuing the visa, and the Immigration officer granting the admission, that the person entering has a home abroad that s/he intends to return to. And the officer is........

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