811.111 Refugees/1507: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)57
In view of the known practices of foreign agents of Germany, Italy, and Russia of bringing pressure to bear on persons in the United States or proceeding thereto, who have close relatives still living in territory controlled by such countries, to work as their agents here under threats of harm to such relatives if met with refusal, the Department considers that both immigration and nonimmigrant visas should be withheld from all aliens having close relatives still residing in territories controlled by such countries, if it is believed such applicants may be induced through such threats to act as agents.
Although each case should be determined on its merits the Department believes it advisable as a general rule to withhold visas in all [Page 620] cases in which the applicant has children, parents, husband, wife, brothers or sisters still remaining in controlled territory. If the circumstances in any case strongly indicate applicant might safely be granted a visa although having some close relative residing in controlled territory, the facts thereof should be reported to the Department with a request for an advisory opinion.
The Department considers that such aliens as well as any inquirers in this country interested in the case should be advised action in the case is suspended until the relatives have left such controlled territory either for the United States or some other uncontrolled country.
As many applicants may have prior knowledge of the Department’s policy in this respect, all applicants, wherever applying, who originated from such controlled territories should be closely examined in this regard and cases giving rise to suspicion of concealment of existence of relatives in such territory should be reported fully to the Department for investigation and opinion.
Controlled territory refers to the area of the aforementioned countries themselves as well as the area coming under their effective influence or control.
- Circular telegram sent to diplomatic missions and consular offices, with a few exceptions.↩