(a) Authority to issue visas. Consular officers may issue immigrant visas at designated consular offices abroad pursuant to the authority contained in INA 101(a)(16), 221(a), and 224.

(b) Immigrant visa fees—(1) Payment of fees. The Secretary of State prescribes a fee for the processing of immigrant visa applications. Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section, an individual registered for immigrant visa processing at a post designated for this purpose by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services must pay the fee upon being notified that a visa is expected to become available in the near future, and upon being requested to obtain the supporting documentation needed to apply formally for a visa, in accordance with instructions received with such notification. The fee must be paid before an applicant at a post so designated will receive an appointment to appear and make application before a consular officer. Applicants at a post not yet so designated will pay the fee immediately prior to formal application for a visa. A fee collected for the processing of an immigrant visa application is refundable only if the principal officer of a post or the officer in charge of a consular section determines that the application was not adjudicated as a result of action by the U.S. Government over which the alien had no control and for which the alien was not responsible, which precluded the applicant from benefitting from the processing, or as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(2) Waiver or refund of fees for replacement immigrant visas for adoptees. The consular officer shall waive the application processing fee for a replacement immigrant visa or, upon request, refund such a fee where already paid, if the consular officer is satisfied that the alien, the alien's parent(s), or the alien's representative has established that:

(i) The prior immigrant visa was issued on or after March 27, 2013, to an alien who has been lawfully adopted, or who is coming to the United States to be adopted, by a United States citizen;

(ii) The alien was unable to use the original immigrant visa during the period of its validity as a direct result of extraordinary circumstances, including the denial of an exit permit; and

(iii) The inability to use the visa was attributable to factors beyond the control of the adopting parent or parents and of the alien.

(3) Exemption from fees for immigrant visa applicants previously refused solely pursuant to Proclamation 9645 or Proclamation 9983. An immigrant visa applicant shall be exempt from the application processing fee and the affidavit of support review fee, if the applicant was previously denied an immigrant visa on or between December 8, 2017, and January 19, 2020; the sole ground of ineligibility was based on Proclamation 9645 or 9983; and the applicant is applying again for an immigrant visa. This paragraph (b)(3) provides only for a one-time exemption of the applicable fees per applicant.

(4) Exemption from fees for Afghan immediate relative and family preference immigrant visa applicants. Consular officers shall exempt from immigrant visa fees Afghan applicants for immediate relative and family preference immigrant visas.

(a) Period of validity. With the exception indicated herein, the period of validity of an immigrant visa shall not exceed six months, beginning with the date of issuance. Any visa issued to a child lawfully adopted by a U.S. citizen and spouse while such citizen is serving abroad in the U.S. Armed Forces, is employed abroad by the U.S. Government, or is temporarily abroad on business, however, shall be valid until such time, for a period not to exceed 3 years, as the adoptive citizen parent returns to the United States in the course of that parent's military service, U.S. Government employment, or business.

(b) Extension of period of validity. If the visa was originally issued for a period of validity less than the maximum authorized by paragraph (a) of this section, the consular officer may extend the validity of the visa up to but not exceeding the maximum period permitted. If an immigrant applies for an extension at a consular office other than the issuing office, the consular officer shall, unless the officer is satisfied beyond doubt that the alien is eligible for the extension, communicate with the issuing office to determine if there is any objection to an extension. In extending the period of validity, the officer shall make an appropriate notation on the visa of the new expiration date, sign the document with title indicated, and impress the seal of the office thereon.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Age and marital status in relation to validity of certain immigrant visas. In accordance with § 42.64(b), the validity of a visa may not extend beyond a date sixty days prior to the expiration of the passport. The period of validity of a visa issued to an immigrant as a child shall not extend beyond the day immediately proceding the date on which the alien becomes 21 years of age. The consular officer shall warn an alien, when appropriate, that the alien will be admissible as such an immigrant only if unmarried and under 21 years of age at the time of application for admission at a U.S. port of entry. The consular officer shall also warn an alien issued a visa as a first or second preference immigrant as an unmarried son or daughter of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States that the alien will be admissible as such an immigrant only if unmarried at the time of application for admission at a U.S. port of entry.

(a) Evidence of visa. An immigrant visa shall be evidenced by a physical visa or by an electronic visa located in the Department's records. The appropriate symbol as prescribed in § 42.11, showing the classification of the alien, shall be entered on the visa.

(b) Visa format. A machine-readable visa shall be in the format designated by the Department, and contain, at a minimum, the following data:

(1) Full name of the immigrant;

(2) Visa symbol;

(3) Location of the visa issuing office;

(4) Passport number;

(5) The registration number (A-number) assigned to the immigrant;

(6) Sex;

(7) Date of birth;

(8) Nationality;

(9) Date of issuance;

(10) Date of expiration;

(11) Visa control number;

(12) Any annotations entered to reflect waivers or other information useful to an immigration officer at a port of entry (POE) upon the immigrant's application for admission to the United States;

(13) A digitized photo of the immigrant; and

(14) Machine-readable data that can be processed by an immigration officer at a POE.

(c) Disposition of supporting documents. Post shall, wherever possible, return original supporting documents furnished by the alien. Duplicate copies may be retained in the consular system, as required or necessary.

(a) New immigrant visa for a special immigrant under INA 101(a)(27)(A) and (B). The consular officer may issue a new immigrant visa to a qualified alien entitled to status under INA 101(a)(27)(A) or (B), provided that:

(1) The alien establishes that the original visa has been lost, mutilated, or has expired; or that the alien will be unable to use it during the period of its validity; and

(2) The alien pays anew the application processing fees prescribed in the Schedule of Fees (22 CFR 22.1); and

(3) The consular officer ascertains whether the original issuing office knows of any reason why a new visa should not be issued.

(b) Replacement immigrant visa for an immediate relative or for an alien subject to numerical limitation. A consular officer may issue a replacement visa under the original number of a qualified alien entitled to status as an immediate relative (INA 201(b)(2)), a family or employment preference immigrant (INA 203(a) or (b)), or a diversity immigrant (INA 203(c)), if—

(1) The alien is unable to use the visa during the period of its validity due to reasons beyond the alien's control;

(2) The visa is issued during the same fiscal year in which the original visa was issued, or in the following year in the case of an immediate relative only, if the original number had been reported as recaptured;

(3) The number has not been returned to the Department as a “recaptured visa number” in the case of a preference or diversity immigrant;

(4) The alien pays anew the application processing fees prescribed in the Schedule of Fees; and

(5) The consular officer ascertains whether the original issuing office knows of any reason why a new visa should not be issued.

(c) Replacement visa for adoptees. A consular officer may issue a replacement immigrant visa to a qualified alien, if the conditions in paragraphs (a)(1) and (3) of this section are met, and if the consular officer determines—

(1) A prior immigrant visa was issued on or after March 27, 2013, to a child who has been lawfully adopted, or who is coming to the United States to be adopted, by a United States citizen;

(2) The inability to use the visa was attributable to factors beyond the control of the adoptee or the adopting parent(s); and

(3) The application processing fee has been waived pursuant to § 42.71(b)(2) or has been paid anew.

(d) Duplicate visas issued within the validity period of the original visa. If the validity of a visa previously issued has not yet terminated and the original visa has been lost or mutilated, a duplicate visa may be issued containing all of the information appearing on the original visa, including the original issuance and expiration dates. The applicant shall execute a new application and provide copies of the supporting documents submitted in support of the original application. The alien must pay anew the application processing fees prescribed in the Schedule of Fees.