please step out of the country for a moment
unintended consequences?
according to a state department media note, persons residing in the united states on e, h, i, l, o, and p visas will be required to leave the country to renew their documents.
the note says this is because new visas require biometrics, and only foreign embassies will be equipped to handle that little feature in time for an october legislative deadline – i guess our domestic department of state offices around the country won’t be, unless, of course, you’re on an a, g or nato visa.
lots of letter mumbo-jumbo, so let me translate a bit for you:
you can stay here and get your new biometric visa if you are an ambassador or foreign official (a), or foreign government representative to an international organization (g), or to nato (nato).
on the other hand, you have to “go out and come back in to stay” if you are a treaty trader or investor (e), a temporary worker (h), media (i), an intracompany transferee (l), a worker with extraordinary ability (o), or an althlete or entertainer (p).