96-18065. Exchange Visitor Program

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 16, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 37002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18065]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

22 CFR Part 514

Exchange Visitor Program

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

ACTION: Notice of policy statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Agency-designated sponsors 
currently authorized the professor and research scholar categories, who 
seek authority to utilize the short-term scholar category provided for 
in existing regulations, may do so by written request to the Agency.

ADDRESSES: Letter requests should be addressed to: Sally J. Lawrence, 
Chief, Program Designation Branch, Office of the General Counsel, Room 
700, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sally J. Lawrence, Chief, Program Designation Branch, at the above 
address or by telephone, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agency published a final rule in the 
Federal Register on June 10, 1996 that amended existing regulations 
governing Exchange Visitor Program eligibility requirements for 
prospective professor and research scholar participants. These 
amendments placed a twelve month bar from continued program 
participation upon individuals who had been physically present in the 
United States for all or part of the twelve months immediately 
preceding their commencement of program participation as a professor or 
research scholar. This regulation further provided an exception to the 
application of a twelve month bar to prospective participants who had 
previously participated in the Exchange Visitor Program as a short-term 
scholar participant.
    By providing this exception to the twelve month bar, the Agency 
seeks to promote the proper use of the short-term scholar category, 
having determined that such use will foster and promote collaborative 
international research and exchange. Currently, some but not all of the 
Agency's designated Exchange Visitor Program sponsors are authorized to 
utilize the short-term scholar category. As stated, the Agency endorses 
the use of this category and accordingly has determined that designated 
sponsors currently authorized to utilize the professor and research 
scholar category shall be authorized to utilize the short-term scholar 
category solely upon written request to the Agency.
Les Jin,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 96-18065 Filed 7-15-96; 8:45 am]
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