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security.nih.gov

Your central source for NIH security information,
provided by the Office of Research Services

NIH Websites Are Changing

Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

Coming to NIH

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation's medical research agency and welcomes visitors from across the United States and around the world. NIH prioritizes safety and implements security procedures to protect patients, employees, guests, and facilities. Our goal is to provide an efficient and effective visitor access management process for all visitors.

Visitor Access

As a federal facility, and in accordance with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy, NIH has security procedures for visitors coming to NIH facilities, including the VisitNIH pre-registration process. This pre-registration process is initiated by NIH hosts/organizers who create an event in the VisitNIH system and enter the names and email addresses of prospective visitors.

U.S. Person Visitors: Individuals with U.S. citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card) status.

  • U.S. person visitors have the option to complete the VisitNIH pre-registration process.
  • U.S. person visitors who are older than 18 years of age must bring a valid, government-issued photo identification that is compliant with the REAL ID Act.

 

Non-U.S. Person Visitors: Individuals without U.S. citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card) status.

  • Non-U.S. person visitors who are older than 18 years of age are required to complete the VisitNIH pre-registration process and receive approval prior to their visit.
  • Individuals must provide their personal information and upload a valid passport and visa (as applicable) during the pre-registration process
  • Individuals must bring the same form of ID used when completing the pre-registration process to check-in at an NIH facility.
  • NIH states that non-U.S. person visitors should complete the pre-registration form 30 days in advance of their visit.
  • Additionally, all non-U.S. person visitors must be escorted by an eligible NIH staff member.

For more information about valid forms of identification, visit  Visitors | Approved Forms of Identification.



Additional Resources