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119-s-3440119th Congress

Temporary Family Visitation Act

Sponsored By: Senator Paul, Rand [R-KY]

Introduced

Summary

A new "family purpose" visitor visa would create a clear route for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to visit for social, religious, or major life events. The bill would add this temporary nonimmigrant category and define who qualifies and the conditions for admission.

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  • Families: A wide set of relatives would be eligible, including spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews. The visa is meant for short social visits and family events.
  • Sponsors and travelers: A petitioner or sponsor must file a declaration of financial support and the visitor must have short-term travel medical insurance. Visitors would be limited to 90 days per calendar year and sponsors cannot petition for relatives who previously overstayed unless they certify circumstances.
  • Immigrant applicants and status limits: People already classified as immigrants but waiting for an immigrant visa could enter under the family visa without losing their immigrant classification. The bill also narrows which nonimmigrant groups can change status.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.

Limits on changing nonimmigrant status

If enacted, the bill would narrow which nonimmigrant classes can change status inside the United States. Only people in the B(iii), C, D, K, or S nonimmigrant classes could use the change-of-status rules in section 248(a)(1). Nonimmigrants in other classes would no longer be eligible for that change-of-status procedure.

New short-term family visit visa

If enacted, the bill would create a short-term family-purpose visitor visa. Relatives (a wide list of family members) could visit for social, religious, or major family events. Stays could not exceed 90 days per calendar year. Petitioners must file a written declaration of financial support. Visiting relatives would need short-term travel medical insurance and must say they intend to leave. Petitioners who previously sponsored the same relative must certify the relative did not overstay or explain extraordinary circumstances. A false certification could trigger penalties under 18 U.S.C. 1001. You cannot petition again for a relative who overstayed after this visa.

Overstay waivers and entry refusals

If enacted, the Secretary could waive penalties for some family-purpose visitors who overstayed because of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. Immigration officers could still refuse admission to applicants who fail the family-purpose rules or who are inadmissible under section 212(a). Existing visitor-for-pleasure (B(ii)) rules could still apply to family travel under policies in effect the day before enactment.

Temporary family entry for visa applicants

If enacted, some people already classified as immigrants but waiting for a numerically limited immigrant visa could be admitted temporarily under the family-purpose visa if otherwise eligible. That temporary admission would follow the family-purpose rules. Such an admission would not count as being admitted for purposes of adjusting status under section 245(a).

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Paul, Rand [R-KY]

KY • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 12/11/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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