The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS) announced
today that they have created an annotated version of the B-1 visa, the
visa that is issued to foreign citizens who wish to enter the U.S. for
business purposes. This annotated version will now enable foreign
maritime workers to be eligible to apply for a Transportation Worker
Identification Credential (TWIC), which is a tamper-resistant biometric
identifier card maritime workers must have to enter secure areas of
maritime facilities.
“Strengthening the security of our maritime global supply chain is
critical to protecting our nation from evolving threats,” said Janet
Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security. “This new TWIC process is a
critical step toward ensuring that foreign maritime workers can quickly
and efficiently obtain the necessary credentials to do their jobs and
help grow the American economy.”
Under the new process, foreign maritime workers who must have a TWIC to
perform their official duties must notify DOS of this need when they
apply for a B-1 visa. Additionally, they must provide a letter from
their employer that indicates they will be required to perform services
in secure port areas.
