The United States government has issued a formal warning to immigrant visa holders, outlining critical steps they must follow after receiving their visa and before arriving in the country. The guidance, published by the US Department of State, specifies that a consular officer will hand the approved applicant their passport containing the immigrant visa, along with a sealed packet of supporting documents.
Sealed Packet Rule: Do Not Open Under Any Circumstances
The government has warned applicants not to open this sealed packet under any circumstances. The packet is meant to be opened only by a US immigration official at the port of entry when the visa holder arrives in America. Immigration officers at the border rely on the sealed packet to verify the applicant's documents, and any sign that it has been opened may raise red flags during inspection.
Tampering with the sealed document packet is among the mistakes that could complicate or entirely block a visa holder's admission into the United States. The guidance makes clear that these requirements apply to all immigrant visa categories, including employment-based immigrant visas. The US Department of State has made the full guidance available on its official website, where applicants can also find information on ineligibilities and other conditions tied to their visa category.
Entry Deadlines and Family Travel Rules
Beyond the sealed packet rule, the guidance makes clear that immigrant visa holders must enter the United States before the expiry date printed on their visa. Failing to travel before that date could invalidate the visa entirely. Applicants are advised to review all travel arrangements carefully to ensure they arrive well within their visa's validity window.
For applicants travelling with family members who are also on immigrant visas, there is an additional rule to note. The primary, or principal, applicant must enter the United States either before or at the same time as any family members holding visas under the same application. Family members cannot arrive in the US ahead of the principal applicant. This means principal applicants should not allow family members to board connecting flights that might land in the US ahead of them.
Why These Rules Matter for Visa Holders
Immigration officers at the border use the sealed packet to verify the applicant's documents, and any sign that it has been opened may raise red flags during inspection. Failing to meet the entry deadline or violating the principal applicant travel rule could also complicate or block admission into the United States.
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the US had announced plans to revoke the visas of foreigners who filed for asylum as visitors. Additionally, the US Embassy in Nigeria had halted all routine non-immigrant visa services, as announced through its official X account on Monday, August 18, 2026, describing the move as a "realignment" of visa services. No specific timeline for when normal services would resume was provided in the post.
