On March 31, 2021, the immigration ban on entry for H, J, and L visas officially expired. The Trump administration’s ‘nonimmigrant proclamation’ began on June 24, 2020 and was originally meant to expire on Dec. 31, 2020. However, right before leaving office, former president Trump extended the ban on entry and visa processes until the end of March. President Biden did not extend it further and allowed it to expire.
According to Fragomen, a legal firm dedicated to immigration services, the visa affected the following categories:
- H-1B and H-2B nonimmigrants;
- L-1A executives and managers;
- L-1B specialized knowledge workers;
- J-1 interns, trainees, teachers, camp counselors, au pairs and Summer Work Travel participants; and
- Their dependent spouses and children.
Since the expiration of the ban, those who hold an H, J, or L visa may now proceed with visa applications and enter the United States. However, there are reduced consular operations at the moment and a high volume of applications which might take longer than usual to apply. Furthermore, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, travel restrictions are still in place.
