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Title 8 — Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-73not60

§1735 Restriction on Issuance of Visas to Nonimmigrants From Countries That Are State Sponsors of International Terrorism

Title 8 › Chapter 15— ENHANCED BORDER SECURITY AND VISA ENTRY REFORM › Subchapter III— VISA ISSUANCE › § 1735

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

No nonimmigrant visa can be given to someone from a country the United States has named a state sponsor of international terrorism unless the Secretary of State, after consulting the Attorney General and other agency heads, decides the person is not a threat to U.S. safety or national security. The Secretary must use rules made with those officials when making the decision. A "state sponsor of international terrorism" is a country the Secretary of State has officially found, under certain federal laws, to have repeatedly supported international terrorism.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1735

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)No nonimmigrant visa under section 1101(a)(15) of this title shall be issued to any alien from a country that is a state sponsor of international terrorism unless the Secretary of State determines, in consultation with the Attorney General and the heads of other appropriate United States agencies, that such alien does not pose a threat to the safety or national security of the United States. In making a determination under this subsection, the Secretary of State shall apply standards developed by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the heads of other appropriate United States agencies, that are applicable to the nationals of such states.
(b)(1)In this section, the term “state sponsor of international terrorism” means any country the government of which has been determined by the Secretary of State under any of the laws specified in paragraph (2) to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
(2)The laws specified in this paragraph are the following:
(A)section 4605(j)(1)(A) of title 50 (or successor statute).11 See References in Text note below.
(B)section 2780(d) of title 22.
(C)section 2371(a) of title 22.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 4605(j)(1)(A) of title 50, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A), was repealed by Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XVII, § 1766(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2232. Provisions similar to those in former section 4605(j)(1)(A) of title 50 can be found in section 4813(c)(1)(A)(i) of title 50, as enacted by Pub. L. 115–232.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and

Transfer of Functions

For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service,

Transfer of Functions

, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1735

Title 8 — Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60