Coalition Urges Congress to Pass the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA)
Washington, DC – On December 3, 2024, the Let Families Visit coalition, spearheaded by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), submitted a letter to key congressional leaders urging the inclusion of the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) in the end-of-year legislative package. The letter, addressed to Speaker Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, highlights the importance of this bipartisan bill in facilitating family reunification while addressing Homeland Security concerns.
The TFVA, introduced in the House (H.R. 5155) by Representatives Scott Peters, Stephanie Bice, Jim Himes, and Maria Salazar, and in the Senate (S. 3255) by Senators Rand Paul and Richard Blumenthal, aims to create a new non-immigrant B-3 visa category. This visa would provide a practical solution for travelers seeking to visit family members in the U.S., addressing the significant challenges posed by the current B-2 tourist visa process, which often leads to lengthy delays and denials.
The TFVA proposes several key safeguards, including requiring a U.S.-based relative to submit an affidavit of financial support, mandating travel medical insurance for visitors, limiting visits to 90 days per year with a clear intent to depart, preventing future petitions from sponsors whose relatives have overstayed previous visas, and prohibiting status changes for visa holders during their stay. The legislation was highlighted by the Congressional Research Service as an effective policy solution to address visa overstays while providing a legitimate pathway for relatives to visit family in the U.S.
A version of the TFVA was included in both the Senate’s Emergency National Security Supplemental bill and the Bipartisan House Dignity Act, recently endorsed by the Problem Solvers Caucus. This broad, continued support underscores the bill’s practicality and the widespread backing it has received from both members of Congress and 22 national and regional organizations.
The coalition’s letter respectfully requests congressional leaders’ support to move this important legislation forward in the upcoming package. For more information, visit www.PassTFVA.com.
The letter is signed by PAAIA, the Hindu American Foundation, Ideaspace Project, Inc., Iranian American Bar Association, Iranian American Democrats of California, Pars Equality Center, United Macedonian Diaspora, and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
