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security.nih.gov

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

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 the NIH implements security procedures to ensure the safety of patients, employees, guests, and facilities. Our goal is to enable an efficient and effective visitor access management process for all visitors. ​​The VisitNIH pre-registration process supports greater physical security and a safer environment for NIH to conduct its work.

Visitor Access

As a federal facility, and in accordance with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy, NIH has implemented new security procedures for visitors coming to NIH facilities.

  • Non-U.S. person visitors (those without U.S. citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card) status are required to complete the VisitNIH pre-registration process and receive approval prior to visiting approved to visit.
  • This process is initiated when the NIH event or meeting hosts/organizers create an event in the VisitNIH system and enters the names and email addresses of prospective visitors.
  • Visitors will receive a secure link via email to add their information and complete the visit application process. Non-U.S. person visitors must submit their visit application using this secure link and will be required to provide personal information, and to upload their foreign passport, and, if applicable, upload a copy of their visa.

It is recommended that non-U.S. persons complete pre-registration 30 days in advance of your planned visit. This allows enough time for review and approval. Failure to pre-register and be approved in time will result in the denial of entry to NIH facilities.

This pre-registration process is required for non-U.S. visitors and available for U.S. visitors.

After pre-registration is approved, non-U.S. person visitors should bring their unexpired foreign passport when entering the facility and be prepared to provide the guard their visa if applicable during the check-in process. At arrival, visitors should provide the ID they used to complete the VisitNIH pre-registration.

All patients and visitors ages 18 and older must display an approved form of identification and undergo a security screening to obtain a visitor badge to enter NIH facilities. ​


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