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S-6 — Terrorism Informant

Residency Pathway PR PathwayThis visa can lead to permanent residency, the right to live and work here indefinitely without renewing your visa. Dependents Allowed Remote Work

At a Glance

Processing Time

1 month – 10 years

Application Fee

0 – 1,960 USD

varies by filing options · optional fees in max

Stay Duration

3 years

Not renewable

Dependents allowed

PR pathway

No job offer needed

Remote work OK

Official Information

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$51,000

Quality of Life

186/200

Full Country Guide

Overview

Informant possessing critical reliable information about a terrorist organization, willing to provide to law enforcement.

796 chars — 3 tight paragraphs within hard caps (P1=285, P2=314, P3=193)

Fee Breakdown

Form I-854A (agency filing)0 USD

Employment Authorization Document (Form I-765)520 USD

optional

Adjustment of Status (Form I-485)1,440 USD

optional

Stay & Extensions

Initial grant

3 years

Annual Cap & Quota

50 per fiscal year (INA § 214(k)); cap has never been approached

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Must possess critical and reliable information concerning a terrorist organization, operation, or enterprise

Must be willing to supply, or have already supplied, such information to federal law enforcement or a federal court

Attorney General and Secretary of State must jointly certify the alien has been or will be placed in danger as a result of providing the information

Must be eligible to receive a cash reward under 22 U.S.C. § 2708 (State Department 'Heroes Rewards' anti-terrorism program)

Only a federal law enforcement agency or federal court may petition on the alien's behalf — no self-petition

Must comply with quarterly reporting requirements to the Attorney General on activities and whereabouts

Must waive the right to contest removal orders (except withholding of removal applications)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Form I-854A completed by sponsoring federal law enforcement agency

Evidence of qualifying terrorism-related information or cooperation

Documentation of eligibility for State Department Heroes Rewards program (22 U.S.C. § 2708)

Evidence of danger faced as a result of cooperation

Supporting federal agency endorsement and case documentation

Form I-693 (medical examination, required at adjustment of status stage)

Identity and passport documents

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Provides legal US status and protection for high-value terrorism informants facing personal danger
Includes work authorization via EAD (category C21)
Explicit pathway to lawful permanent residence under INA § 245(j)
Derivative S-7 visas available for spouse, children, and parents with same LPR pathway
Made permanent by Congress in 2001 — not subject to expiration
Annual cap of 50 is effectively never approached, so quota is not a practical barrier

Worth Knowing

Extremely rare in practice — only 5 ever issued (all FY1995), zero since 1996
Alien cannot self-petition; entirely dependent on a federal agency or federal court to initiate
Requires dual approval from both Attorney General and Secretary of State — unique dual-agency hurdle
Must qualify for State Department Heroes Rewards program as a prerequisite
Non-renewable; maximum 3-year stay with no extension option
Quarterly reporting to Attorney General on activities and whereabouts required
Conviction for any crime punishable by 1+ year imprisonment results in automatic loss of status
Must waive right to contest removal orders
No standard processing timeline; cases can take years due to interagency bureaucracy
S-5 (criminal informant) category allows state/local agency petitions; S-6 is federal-only

Application Process

Federal law enforcement agency (e.g., FBI, DEA) or federal court identifies alien with qualifying terrorism information

Sponsoring agency files Form I-854A with DOJ Criminal Division, Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO)

DOJ Criminal Division reviews and certifies the petition (mandatory prerequisite — USCIS will not process without it)

Both the Attorney General and Secretary of State review and jointly approve the S-6 classification

USCIS grants S-6 nonimmigrant status; if alien is abroad, State Department issues visa through consulate

Alien may separately file Form I-765 for Employment Authorization Document (EAD), category C21

For permanent residence: sponsoring agency files Form I-854B; alien subsequently files Form I-485

Application Forms

I-854A Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record (S Classification Request)	Fill online
I-765 Application for Employment Authorization	Fill online
I-854B Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record (Adjustment of Status Request)	Fill online
I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status	Fill online

Verified Claims (40)

Last verified May 30, 2026

Annual Allocation

50 per fiscal year (INA § 214(k)); cap has never been approached

everycrsreport.com

Application Steps

Federal law enforcement agency (e.g., FBI, DEA) or federal court identifies alien with qualifying te…

uscis.gov

Blockers

—

uscis.gov

Can Convert To

—

uscis.gov

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$51,000

Quality of Life

186/200

Full Country Guide

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Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Must possess critical and reliable information concerning a terrorist organization, operation, or enterprise

Must be willing to supply, or have already supplied, such information to federal law enforcement or a federal court

Attorney General and Secretary of State must jointly certify the alien has been or will be placed in danger as a result of providing the information

Must be eligible to receive a cash reward under 22 U.S.C. § 2708 (State Department 'Heroes Rewards' anti-terrorism program)

Only a federal law enforcement agency or federal court may petition on the alien's behalf — no self-petition

Must comply with quarterly reporting requirements to the Attorney General on activities and whereabouts

Must waive the right to contest removal orders (except withholding of removal applications)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Form I-854A completed by sponsoring federal law enforcement agency

Evidence of qualifying terrorism-related information or cooperation

Documentation of eligibility for State Department Heroes Rewards program (22 U.S.C. § 2708)

Evidence of danger faced as a result of cooperation

Supporting federal agency endorsement and case documentation

Form I-693 (medical examination, required at adjustment of status stage)

Identity and passport documents

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Provides legal US status and protection for high-value terrorism informants facing personal danger
Includes work authorization via EAD (category C21)
Explicit pathway to lawful permanent residence under INA § 245(j)
Derivative S-7 visas available for spouse, children, and parents with same LPR pathway
Made permanent by Congress in 2001 — not subject to expiration
Annual cap of 50 is effectively never approached, so quota is not a practical barrier

Worth Knowing

Extremely rare in practice — only 5 ever issued (all FY1995), zero since 1996
Alien cannot self-petition; entirely dependent on a federal agency or federal court to initiate
Requires dual approval from both Attorney General and Secretary of State — unique dual-agency hurdle
Must qualify for State Department Heroes Rewards program as a prerequisite
Non-renewable; maximum 3-year stay with no extension option
Quarterly reporting to Attorney General on activities and whereabouts required
Conviction for any crime punishable by 1+ year imprisonment results in automatic loss of status
Must waive right to contest removal orders
No standard processing timeline; cases can take years due to interagency bureaucracy
S-5 (criminal informant) category allows state/local agency petitions; S-6 is federal-only

Application Process

Federal law enforcement agency (e.g., FBI, DEA) or federal court identifies alien with qualifying terrorism information

Sponsoring agency files Form I-854A with DOJ Criminal Division, Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO)

DOJ Criminal Division reviews and certifies the petition (mandatory prerequisite — USCIS will not process without it)

Both the Attorney General and Secretary of State review and jointly approve the S-6 classification

USCIS grants S-6 nonimmigrant status; if alien is abroad, State Department issues visa through consulate

Alien may separately file Form I-765 for Employment Authorization Document (EAD), category C21

For permanent residence: sponsoring agency files Form I-854B; alien subsequently files Form I-485

Application Forms

I-854A

Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record (S Classification Request)

Fill online

I-765

Application for Employment Authorization

Fill online

I-854B

Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record (Adjustment of Status Request)

Fill online

I-485

Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Fill online