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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3440 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3440
To establish a new nonimmigrant category for alien relatives of United
States citizens and lawful permanent residents seeking to enter the
United States temporarily for family purposes, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 11, 2025
Mr. Paul (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a new nonimmigrant category for alien relatives of United
States citizens and lawful permanent residents seeking to enter the
United States temporarily for family purposes, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Temporary Family Visitation Act''.
SEC. 2. FAMILY PURPOSE NONIMMIGRANT VISAS FOR RELATIVES OF UNITED
STATES CITIZENS AND LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS SEEKING TO
ENTER THE UNITED STATES TEMPORARILY.
(a) Establishment of New Nonimmigrant Visa Category.--Section
101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(B)) is amended by striking ``and who is visiting the United
States temporarily for business or temporarily for pleasure;'' and
inserting ``and who is visiting the United States temporarily for--
``(i) business;
``(ii) pleasure; or
``(iii) family purposes;''.
(b) Requirements Applicable to Family Purpose Visas.--Section 214
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(s) Requirements Applicable to Family Purpose Visas.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection and section
101(a)(15)(B)(iii):
``(A) Family purposes.--The term `family purposes'
means any visit by a relative for a social or
occasional purpose, a major life event, a religious
event, or for any other purpose.
``(B) Relative.--The term `relative' means the
spouse, child, son, daughter, grandchild, parent,
grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt,
niece, or nephew of a citizen of the United States or
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
``(2) Requirement.--A relative seeking admission pursuant
to a visa issued under section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) is
inadmissible unless--
``(A) the individual petitioning for such
admission, or an additional sponsor, has submitted to
the Secretary of Homeland Security an undertaking under
section 213 in the form of a declaration of financial
support;
``(B) such relative has obtained, for the duration
of his or her stay in the United States, a short-term
travel medical insurance policy or an existing health
insurance policy that provides coverage for
international medical expenses; and
``(C) such relative expresses intent to leave the
United States at the conclusion of the period of
authorized admission.
``(3) Period of authorized admission.--The period of
authorized admission for a nonimmigrant described in section
101(a)(15)(B)(iii) shall not exceed 90 days per calendar year.
``(4) Petitioner eligibility.--
``(A) In general.--An individual may not petition
for the admission of a relative as a nonimmigrant
described in section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) if the
individual previously petitioned for the admission of
such a relative who--
``(i) was admitted to the United States
pursuant to a visa issued under that section as
a result; and
``(ii) overstayed his or her period of
authorized admission.
``(B) Previous petitioners.--An individual filing a
declaration of financial support for the admission of a
relative as a nonimmigrant described in section
101(a)(15)(B)(iii) who has previously provided a
declaration of financial support for such a relative
shall certify to the Secretary of Homeland Security
that the relative whose admission the individual
previously supported did not overstay his or her period
of authorized admission or provide an explanation of
why the relative's overstay was due to extraordinary
circumstances beyond the control of the relative. A
certification under this subparagraph shall be subject
to section 1001 of title 18, United States Code.
``(C) Waiver.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
may waive the application of section 212(a)(9)(B) in
the case of a nonimmigrant described in section
101(a)(15)(B)(iii) who overstayed his or her period of
authorized admission due to extraordinary circumstances
beyond the control of the nonimmigrant.''.
(c) Restriction on Change of Status.--Section 248(a)(1) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1258(a)(1)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(1) an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under
subparagraph (B)(iii), (C), (D), (K), or (S) of section
101(a)(15),''.
(d) Family Purpose Visa Eligibility While Awaiting Immigrant
Visa.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 214(b) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(b)), a
nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) of that
Act who has been classified as an immigrant under section 201
of that Act (8 U.S.C. 1151) and is awaiting the availability of
an immigrant visa subject to the numerical limitations under
section 203 of that Act (8 U.S.C. 1153) may be admitted
pursuant to a family purpose visa, in accordance with section
214(s) of that Act, if the individual is otherwise eligible for
admission.
(2) Limitation.--An alien admitted as a nonimmigrant
described in section 101(a)(15)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act shall not be considered to have been admitted
to the United States for purposes of section 245(a) of that Act
(8 U.S.C. 1255(a)).
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act, or the amendments
made by this Act, shall be construed--
(1) to limit the authority of immigration officers to
refuse to admit to the United States an applicant under section
101(a)(15)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act who
fails to meet one or more of the criteria under section 214(s)
of that Act, or who is inadmissible under section 212(a) of
that Act; or
(2) to preclude the application of section
101(a)(15)(B)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to
family travel for pleasure in accordance with the policies and
procedures in effect on the day before the date of the
enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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