S-5 visa

The S-5 visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows travel to United States for individuals who are witnesses, informants, or otherwise supplying information regarding a criminal organization and whose presence in the US is necessary for law enforcement to pursue investigation or prosecution.[1] The S visa class, including the S-5 and S-6 visas, was created in 1994 by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.[2]

An individual admitted on an S-5 may stay for a period of up to three years, must report their whereabouts to the US Attorney General quarterly, must not be convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, and must waive their right to contest deportation.[1] Once a person admitted under an S visa has completed the terms of their classification, a federal or state law enforcement agency or the US Attorney General may submit an application for permanent residence on their behalf.[3] The S-5 visa was created by Congress on October 1 2001 in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.[4]

References
  1. Immigration pocket field guide. Matthew Bender & Company, Inc. 2013. p. 50.
  2. Siskind, Gregory. "The ABC'S Of Immigration: S Visas for Aliens Assisting Law Enforcement" (PDF). LexisNexis. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  3. "Green Card for an Informant (S Nonimmigrant)". US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  4. Ester, Karma. "CRS Report for Congress" (PDF). Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 1 November 2016.


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