[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 14 (Monday, January 22, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1521-1523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-729]



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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Consular Affairs

22 CFR Part 41

[Public Notice 2318]


Visas Documentation of Nonimmigrants Under the Immigration and 
Nationality Act, as Amended; Application for Nonimmigrant Visa

AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, State.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The United States is hosting the Summer Olympic Games in 
Atlanta in 1996. The processing of visas for the 

[[Page 1522]]
great number of participants requires some temporary changes in 
established procedures to accommodate the increased workload. These 
changes include: granting the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Visa 
Office authority to designate consular posts for processing of NIVs 
regardless of the applicant's place of residence or physical presence, 
a waiver of the passport requirement at the time of visa application, 
and a waiver of the photograph requirement at the time of NIV 
application and issuance.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 22, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen K. Fischel, Chief, Legislation 
and Regulations Division, 202 663-1204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Games of the XXVI Olympiad will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, 
from July 19 to August 4, 1996. These games will be the largest in 
history with 10,000 athletes and at least 45,000 in the entire Olympic 
Family. ``Olympic Family Members'' include: athletes, coaches, 
trainers, support personnel, senior officials of the International 
Olympic Committee, International Federations, National Olympic 
Committees, and Other Olympic Games Organizing Committees, as well as 
official guests, rightsholding broadcasters, accredited international 
media and international judges and juries. The vast majority of 
``Olympic Family Members'' are aliens and must be processed for 
admission into the United States for the Games. These great numbers 
require the Department of State and other agencies engaged in the 
process to devise means to accommodate ``Olympic Family Members'' in 
the most efficient fashion. Visa processing procedures for the Games 
have been specifically designed to minimize the burden on the currently 
heavily taxed resources at U.S. consular posts abroad and to facilitate 
visa processing for ``Olympic Family Members.''

Place of Application

    The general rule at 22 CFR 41.101 requires an alien to apply for a 
nonimmigrant visa in the consular district in which he or she resides, 
whether or not physically present there at that time, or where the 
alien is physically present regardless of place of residence. The 
change in the regulation grants the Deputy Assistant Secretary the 
authority to designate a consular post or consular posts for acceptance 
of visa applications from certain ``Olympic Family Members'' regardless 
of the residence or physical presence of the applicants. This permits 
the Department of State to best utilize available resources in 
efficiently fulfilling its visa responsibilities under the Immigration 
and Nationality Act.

Presentation of Passport

    The regulations at 22 CFR 41.104(b) require visa applicants to 
present passports at the time of application for visas. Although 
``Olympic Family Members'' will still need to present passports at the 
time of admission to the United States, they will not be required to do 
so at the time of visa application. The regulation is modified 
accordingly.

Passport Photograph

    Pursuant to 22 CFR 41.105(a)(3), the nonimmigrant visa applicant 
generally must provide a personal photograph or photographs at the time 
of the visa application. This regulation does, however, provide for 
several exceptions to this requirement. Again, to facilitate 
processing, an exception to this general rule is extended to ``Olympic 
Family Members''.

Visa Format

    The specific visa format is set forth in 22 CFR 41.113(d). 
Subsection (k) of that regulation provides for an exception to the 
general visa format to address the specific needs of processing visas 
for Olympic or regional games. The procedures for the Atlanta Games 
will differ from the subsection (k) provision in that the visa will be 
placed on the individual ``Olympic Family Member's'' official identity 
card. The regulations at subsection (k) are amended accordingly.

Final Rule

    This final rule provides for temporary changes in the established 
procedures for processing nonimmigrant visas for temporary visitor 
visas to the United States for purposes of the 1996 Olympic Games in 
Atlanta.
    This rule is not expected to have a significant impact on a 
substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act. In addition, this rule amends and reduces the burden for 
information collection requirements approved under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, OMB No. 1405-0018. This rule has been reviewed as 
required under E.O. 12778 and certified to be in compliance therewith. 
This rule is exempt from review under E.O. 12866, but has been reviewed 
internally by the Department to ensure consistency with the objectives 
thereof.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 41

    Aliens, Documentation, Nonimmigrants, Passports and visas.

    In order to facilitate the processing of visa applicants in the 
most timely fashion, Part 41 of Title 22 is amended by adding a new 
paragraph (c) to 41.101; by adding a new paragraph (e) to 41.104; by 
adding a new subparagraph (iv) to 41.105(a)(3); and by adding a new 
subparagraph (3) to 41.113(k).

PART 41--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 41 continues to read:

    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1101 and 1104; 19 U.S.C. 3401.

    2. Part 41, Subpart J--Application for Nonimmigrant Visa, is 
amended by adding paragraph (c) to Sec. 41.101 to read as follows:


Sec. 41.101  Place of application.

* * * * *
    (c) 1996 Games of the XXVI Olympiad, Atlanta, Georgia. 
Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, consular officers at 
consular posts designated by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 
for the Visa Office shall accept visa applications for certain aliens 
accredited by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as ``Olympic 
Family Members.'' Such applications must be received at post no earlier 
than January 1, 1996 and not later than August 4, 1996.
    3. By adding a new paragraph (e) to Sec. 41.104 to read as follows:


Sec. 41.104  Passport requirements.

* * * * *
    (e) 1996 Games of the XXVI Olympiad, Atlanta, Georgia. 
Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, consular officers shall 
process visa applications submitted on behalf of ``Olympic Family 
Members'' accredited by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. 
Passports need not be presented on behalf of such applicants at the 
time of visa application. These applications must be received no 
earlier than January 1, 1996 and not later than August 4, 1996.
    4. By revising paragraph (a)(3)(iii) and adding a new paragraph 
(a)(3)(iv) to Sec. 41.105 to read as follows:


Sec. 41.105  Supporting documents and fingerprinting.

    (a) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (iii) Under 16 years of age; or
    (iv) For the period January 1, 1996 through August 4, 1996, a 
foreign national accredited by the Atlanta 

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Committee for the Olympic Games as an ``Olympic Family Member.''.
* * * * *
    5. By removing the period at the end of paragraph (k)(2)(ii) and 
inserting a semicolon and the word ``or'' in its place; and adding a 
new paragraph (k)(3) to Sec. 41.113 to read as follows:


Sec. 41.113  Procedures in issuing visas.

* * * * *
    (k) * * *
    (3) Is the holder of an official identity card which has been 
issued for participation in the 1996 Games of the XXVI Olympiad, 
Atlanta, Georgia under the Olympic Rules Bylaws upon which a visa stamp 
is affixed and which includes the following information:
    (i) The name, date and place of birth of the alien;
    (ii) The nationality of the alien;
    (iii) The alien's passport number; and
    (iv) The signature of the head of the sponsoring National Olympic 
Committee or other responsible organization.

    Dated: December 21, 1995.
Mary A. Ryan,
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-729 Filed 1-19-96; 8:45 am]
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