PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] · D–NV
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Aug 20, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-08-13 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would broaden authority to make certain passport and visa fees available for consular services, including protecting U.S. citizens overseas. It would also authorize transfers of certain funds not yet committed to spending. For people applying for nonimmigrant visas—visas for temporary stays—it sets a goal of interviewing 80 percent within three weeks. That goal allows exceptions for resources, security, and services to U.S. citizens; it is not a guaranteed deadline.
the following passport and immigrant visa surcharges collected in any fiscal year are authorized to be made available for the costs of providing general consular services, including the consular protection of United States citizens and their interests overseas
The unobligated balances of each amount available from fees listed in section 7081(h) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017 (division J of Public Law 115–31) are authorized to be transferred
The Secretary of State is authorized to take such steps as may be necessary for the goal of ensuring that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within 3 weeks of receipt and application, recognizing that resource and security considerations and the need to ensure provision of consular services to United States citizens may dictate specific exceptions to this goal.
Section 1 would give the bill the short title “Visa Improvement, Streamlined Investment, and Tourism Optimization Reform Act,” or “VISITOR Act.”
This Act may be cited as the Visa Improvement, Streamlined Investment, and Tourism Optimization Reform Act or the VISITOR Act.
Section 2(a) would amend the Passport Act by replacing “such costs” with “the costs of providing consular services,” deleting paragraph (2), and renumbering paragraph (3). The supplied text does not reproduce the existing paragraphs, so it does not establish the full effect of these changes.
Section 1(b) of the Passport Act of June 4, 1920 (22 U.S.C. 214(b)), is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking such costs and inserting the costs of providing consular services; (2) by striking paragraph (2); and (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).
Section 2(b)(1) would authorize specified fee collections to be made available for general consular services despite other legal restrictions. It covers surcharges collected under a cited 2005 appropriations provision and specified fees in the Fraud Prevention and Detection Account. This authorizes use of those collections; it does not require spending a stated amount.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following passport and immigrant visa surcharges collected in any fiscal year are authorized to be made available for the costs of providing general consular services, including the consular protection of United States citizens and their interests overseas: (A) Surcharges collected pursuant to the fourth paragraph under the heading Diplomatic and Consular Programs in the Department of State and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2005 (title IV of division B of Public Law 108–447; 8 U.S.C. 1714). (B) Fees deposited into the Fraud Prevention and Detection Account and made available for the purposes described in section 286(v)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(v)(2)(A)).
Section 2(b)(2)(A) would authorize transfers of uncommitted balances from fees listed in a cited 2017 appropriations provision. Those balances could move to the Consular and Border Security Programs account and between State Department accounts under Administration of Foreign Affairs for general consular services.
The unobligated balances of each amount available from fees listed in section 7081(h) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017 (division J of Public Law 115–31) are authorized to be transferred to the Consular and Border Security Programs account and between accounts of the Department of State under the heading Administration of Foreign Affairs for the purposes described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
Section 2(b)(2)(B) would also authorize transfers of other uncommitted State Department funds under Administration of Foreign Affairs to the Consular and Border Security Programs Account. The Secretary of State would have to consult the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, determine that the transfer is necessary to sustain consular operations, and report that determination to those committees.
The unobligated balances of any amounts made available to the Department of State under the heading Administration of Foreign Affairs by any Act are authorized to be transferred to the Consular and Border Security Programs Account if the Secretary of State determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate that to do so is necessary to sustain consular operations, following consultation with such Committees.
Section 2(b)(3) would add “the provision of other general consular services” after each reference to “in support of enhanced border security” in section 6 of the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006. The existing section is not reproduced in the bundle.
Section 6 of the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1714 note) is amended by inserting and the provision of other general consular services after in support of enhanced border security each place it appears.
Section 2(c) would authorize the Secretary of State to pursue a goal of interviewing 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants within three weeks, using the text’s wording “of receipt and application.” Resource limits, security considerations, and services for U.S. citizens could justify exceptions. The goal concerns interviews, not approval or issuance of visas.
The Secretary of State is authorized to take such steps as may be necessary for the goal of ensuring that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within 3 weeks of receipt and application, recognizing that resource and security considerations and the need to ensure provision of consular services to United States citizens may dictate specific exceptions to this goal.
The supplied actions snapshot, updated August 20, 2026, records introduction in the House on August 13, 2026, and referral that day to the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations Committees for provisions within their respective jurisdictions. It does not establish subsequent action or enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-08-20T13:15:59Z.
2026-08-13: Introduced in House
2026-08-13: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-08-13. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This text-only conclusion does not establish formal earmark status or absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Aug 20, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI