English
English
English
Updated on 17.09.2024
A US court has upheld a class action brought by people who were refused a US visa on the basis of Presidential Proclamation 9645. They can submit a new visa application once free of charge and receive preferential visa appointments.
Share article:
Nationals from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen who were denied a US visa (nonimmigrant or immigrant) under PP 9645 between December 8, 2017 and January 20, 2021 benefit from the court decision.
A US District Court in California has ordered that as of August 2, 2024, they can apply once for a new visa for any nonimmigrant or immigrant visa at any US embassy or US consulate on a priority basis and without paying a new fee.
This is only possible under the following conditions:
The group of people who qualify is called Class Members or Emami Class Members. Only these benefit from the court's order.
The following groups of people cannot make use of the court ruling:
Authorized persons can indicate that they are a member of the Emami group when submitting their application (by e-mail or web-based form). This differs depending on the responsible US authority worldwide. Most consular missions now provide information for applicants on their websites.
If you contact the US authorities to arrange an interview appointment, you should mark your request as an "Emami Class Membership Verification Request" or select "Class Members" in your online profile.
Please also have the following information ready, which is contained in your visa application rejected under PP 9645:
Additional information such as nationality, passport number, gender, place of birth, application ID of the DS-160 barcode sheet from your previous application, e-mail of the person requesting the fee credit is helpful (if available).
If you are verified as an Emami class member, you will receive a fee waiver or credit at most US embassies and US consulates, which you can use to make an appointment to meet with a US consular officer.
The credit should generally be used within 365 days to make an appointment. However, the appointment can take place outside the 365-day period if the appointment is rescheduled in good time.
On the day of your visa interview, you will be interviewed by a US consular officer. They will decide on your application regardless of your previous refusal in accordance with PP 9645.
Applicants whose US immigrant visa applications have been denied under PP 9645 may resume the immigrant visa application process with the US agency where they were previously denied without paying a new fee or with a one-time waiver of current consular fees for immigrant visas.
When contacting the US embassy or US consulate, indicate that it is an "Emami Class Membership Verification Request". This is usually done via the required online profile.
Class members who were previously denied a US nonimmigrant visa under PP 9645 now have the opportunity to apply for an immigrant visa if they meet all of the requirements to apply for a US immigrant visa.
All class members who submit a new application for a US immigrant visa must of course still go through all the regular processing steps for US immigrant visas.
The US State Department will prioritize appointments at the most important US embassies and US consulates for one year. This means that a small quota of visa appointments will be reserved each day for Emami class members.
Smaller US embassies or US consulates must be contacted by August 12, 2025 to apply for a visa without fees.
Date:
We and our partners use cookies to store and retrieve personally identifiable information, such as browsing data, to provide and personalize content and advertising, and to analyze website usage and improve the user experience. You can learn more about the purposes for which we and our partners use cookies by clicking on the "Cookie Settings" button below. All settings can also be changed here. Subsequently, you can reconsider your cookie selection or revoke your consent at any time by clicking on the cookie settings link in the footer of our website. Please note that blocking some cookie types may have our ability to provide content tailored to your interests or may limit the availability of some website features.
By clicking "Accept All Cookies" you consent to our use and sharing of your information with our partners.