Department of State July 6, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As a result of this rule, the Department of State finalizes without change a final rule establishing that a passport and a visa is required of a British, French, or Netherlands national, or of a national of Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, or Trinidad and Tobago, who has residence in British, French, or Netherlands territory located in the adjacent islands of the Caribbean area, or has residence in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, or Trinidad and Tobago, if the alien is proceeding to the United States as an agricultural worker. In light of past experience, and to promote consistency of treatment across H-2A agricultural workers, prudent border management requires that these temporary workers obtain a visa, which already is required of most other H-2A agricultural workers. The previous rule created a vulnerability by allowing temporary workers from these countries to enter the United States without a visa. As a consequence of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revising its regulations in parallel with State Department actions, temporary workers from these countries will continue to need H-2A visas to enter the United States.