The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has authority over all non-citizens entering the United States, living here for any time period, and leaving. The U.S. Consulates have authority outside U.S. territory to decide to whom to issue visas.

It is the INS, whose officials are located at ports of entry (airports, seaports, rail terminals, road crossing points), who will decide whether you can enter the United States and how long you can stay. They have the power to limit your stay or deny you entry altogether. Visas are usually honored so long as all the necessary accompanying papers and evidence are in order. However, you may be asked to repeat the answers you gave to the U.S. Consulate in your home country when you applied for a visa.

For information on applying for visas, go to Obtaining a Visa.

INS Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines provides information about all the major statutes and rules governing U.S. immigration and entry policies; how these laws and regulations are made; and access to online copies of the laws and regulations themselves.

Temporary Visitors provides general information on a wide variety of non-permanent circumstances in which visitors may come to the United States.

Student Visas provides specific U.S. entry information for persons coming to the United States on student visas.

Coordinated Interagency Partnership Regulating International Students (CIPRIS) provides specific information on new and emerging regulations and procedures for maintaining data on holders of student visas.

Exchange Visitors provides specific U.S. entry information for persons coming to the United States on educational or cultural exchange visas.

Temporary Workers provides specific U.S. entry information for persons coming to the United States on work visas, such as teachers and other education professionals.

Information for Employers provides specific U.S. entry information for employers and potential employers of persons seeking to come to the United States on work visas.

Lawful Permanent Residency provides specific information on the circumstances and procedures whereby non-citizens can legally stay in the the United States for an indefinite period of time.

Visitor Forms and INS Offices

Forms and Fees provides links to downloadable INS forms for applying for the various types of U.S. entry, as well as information on what each processing action costs.

Fingerprints provides information on the fingerprinting process which is required for most INS applications.

Application Support Centers (ASCs) provides contact and location information for the INS offices that conduct fingerprinting and provide application assistance.

INS Field Offices provides contact and location information for the main INS offices inside United States territory.

INS Overseas Offices provides contact and location information for the INS offices outside the United States.