“SR, I5 and R5 visas may only be issued prior to March 23, 2018. After this date, no SR, I5 or R5 visas may be issued until this programme is reauthorised by the US Congress,” the embassy said on its website.
Pope Thrower, the spokesperson of the embassy, told Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper that the two programmes have expired globally and target no specific country, including Vietnam.
The expiration will not affect the classification of other immigration and non-immigration visas, the spokesperson said.
Under the resolution approved by the US Congress on February 9, the special immigration programme for labourers working in diplomatic religion, except evangelists, will expire on March 23, 2018, Thrower noted.
He noted that after midnight of March 22, there will be no SR (religious worker) visas issued abroad nor actions to adjust the status.
The resolution also expands the immigrant investor pilot programme to March 23, 2018, he said, stressing that there will be neither I5 and R5 visas granted abroad nor actions to adjust the status after the date.
The spokesperson pledged that the embassy will update information on the US’s visa policy at its website, the website of the US’s Consulate General and at travel.state.gov.
The country's EB-5 investor visa has four categories. The I5 visa is for investors who participate in an investor pilot programme in a targeted area; the R5 is for investors who participate in an investor pilot programme not in a targeted area; the C5 is for investors who create jobs outside of targeted areas; and the T5 is for investors who create jobs in targeted rural or high unemployment areas.
