INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO special registration:

WHAT IS special registration (NSEERS)?

Upon entering the U.S., some individuals will require additional inspection and will be required to register with the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS).   This is also known as “Special Registration”.  While anyone can be deemed subject to Special Registration, some of the determining factors for being subject can be your country of birth, country of citizenship, your field of study or frequent travel to certain countries. 

Currently, individuals from the following countries are required to register with NSEERS:   Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.                                                                                   

If you are identified as being subject to NSEERS, then you must:

1.       Register with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon arrival in the United States. CBP will give you directions.

2.       Inform U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (CIS) of any change of address within 10 days. You must inform your IIE/Fulbright Program Officer of your new address, who will then enter this information into the SEVIS database. Go to http://www.iie.org/fulbright/non-us/current and click on “Updating Your Personal Information.”

3.       If requested, you must appear in-person before a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer to confirm your compliance with J-1 visa regulations.

4.       When leaving the United States, appear for an exit interview and depart through designated ports of departure only.

When leaving the United States at any point, you must depart from a designated port of departure and you must register your departure before you leave.   This includes trips to Mexico, Canada or adjacent islands. 

In order to register your departure, you must appear in person before an inspecting officer at a designated port of departure and leave from that port on the same day. If you have more than one connecting flight out of the United States, then your last connection should be the designated NSEERS departure port.    Failure to register your departure will jeopardize any future visits to the U.S.  Plan your travel wisely!

What if I am subject to NSEERS, how does US-VISIT affect me?

Everyone entering the United States on a non-immigrant visa is subject to the US-VISIT process, including individuals who must register with NSEERS.   You are therefore subject to both the US-VISIT entry process, and the registration and departure procedures of NSEERS.