Recently the U.S. Department of State (DOS) quietly issued instructions to U.S. Consulates around the world regarding the implementation and utilization of a new nonimmigrant visa verification system. This DOS guidance provided preliminary details about the use of a new electronic reporting tool, the Petition Information Management Service (PIMS), created by the DOS's Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), establishing the PIMS as the primary and definitive source of evidence to be utilized by U.S. Consulates in determining qualification for visa stamp issuance for H, L, O, P and Q visas.

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