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A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sens. Rand Paul and Richard Blumenthal, introduced a bill on Thursday that aims to make a new category of temporary visas to allow family members to visit the United States for major life events such as weddings, funerals, and births more easily.
The Temporary Family Visitation Act would create a new 90-day B-3 visa category for family members of American permanent residents and citizens. Under the current system, many family members must apply for a B-2 tourist visa to attend major life events in the country or visit their family. But the current system s measures to prevent visa overstays include assessing those with personal ties in the U.S., having the effect of high denial rates to family members and keeping families apart.