22 CFR § 41.105 - Supporting documents and fingerprinting.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s41.105"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "22 CFR § 41.105 - Supporting documents and fingerprinting."
title_number: 22
title_name: "Foreign Relations"
section_number: "41.105"
section_name: "Supporting documents and fingerprinting."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
subchapter_number: "E"
subchapter_name: "VISAS"
part_number: "41"
part_name: "VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "8 U.S.C. 1101; 1102; 1103; 1104; 1182; 1184; 1185 note (section 7209 of Pub. L. 108-458, as amended by section 546 of Pub. L. 109-295); 1323; 1361; 2651a."
regulatory_source: "52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "41"
---


# 41.105 Supporting documents and fingerprinting.

(a) *Supporting documents*—(1) *Authority to require documents.* The consular officer is authorized to require documents considered necessary to establish the alien's eligibility to receive a nonimmigrant visa. All documents and other evidence presented by the alien, including briefs submitted by attorneys or other representatives, shall be considered by the consular officer.

(2) *Unobtainable documents.* If the consular officer is satisfied that a document or record required under the authority of this section is unobtainable, the consular officer may accept satisfactory alternative pertinent evidence. A document or other record shall be considered unobtainable if it cannot be procured without causing the applicant or a member of the applicant's family actual hardship as distinct from normal delay and inconvenience.

(3) *Photographs required.* Every applicant for a nonimmigrant visa must furnish photographs of the number and specification prescribed by the Department. The applicant must either upload a digital photograph electronically as part of submitting an online visa application or submit a paper photograph at the direction of the Department or consular officer. The photograph shall be considered signed when the applicant signs the appropriate application form pursuant to § 41.103(b)(3).

(4) *Police certificates.* A police certificate is a certification by the police or other appropriate authorities stating what, if anything, their records show concerning the alien. An applicant for a nonimmigrant visa is required to present a police certificate if the consular officer has reason to believe that a police or criminal record exists, except that no police certificate is required in the case of an alien who is within a class of nonimmigrants classifiable under visa symbols A-1, A-2, C-3, G-1 through G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4 or NATO-6.

(b) *Fingerprinting.* Every applicant for a nonimmigrant visa must furnish fingerprints, as required by the consular officer.

[52 FR 42597, Nov. 5, 1987; 53 FR 9112, 9172, Mar. 21, 1988, as amended at 61 FR 1522, Jan. 22, 1996; 61 FR 53058, Oct. 10, 1996; 64 FR 13510, Mar. 19, 1999; 67 FR 8478, Feb. 25, 2002; 72 FR 74175, Dec. 31, 2007; 73 FR 49092, Aug. 20, 2008; 88 FR 13696, Mar. 6, 2023]