AILA Doc. No. 20071733 | Dated May 27, 2021
DOS announced that the Secretary of State made a national interest determination regarding categories of travelers eligible for exceptions under Presidential Proclamations (PPs) 9984, 9992, 10143, 10199, and similar subsequent PPs related to the spread of COVID-19. As a result of this determination, together with national interest determinations already in place, travelers subject to these proclamations due to their presence in China, Iran, India, Brazil, South Africa, the Schengen area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, who are seeking to provide vital support or executive direction for critical infrastructure; those traveling to provide vital support or executive direction for significant economic activity in the United States; journalists; students and certain academics covered by exchange visitor programs; immigrants; and fiancés may now qualify for a National Interest Exception (NIE). Qualified travelers who are applying for or have valid visas or ESTA authorization may travel to the United States following the procedures below, even as PPs 9984, 9992, 10143, and 10199 remain in effect.
Please note that academics are not limited to the J-1 exchange visitors. We have obtained exceptions for several Professors using the “provide vital support or executive direction for significant economic activity in the United Statesâ€.
David Swaim
Managing Partner
Tidwell, Swaim & Farquhar, P.C
Dallas, Texas
