HIV-positive foreigners can now get visas to visit the United States, Agence France-Presse reports. The new regulations also speed up and streamline the visa process.

For the past 21 years, the United States has banned HIV-positive visitors from entering the United States unless they received a special waiver. In July, President George W. Bush signed legislation to lift that ban.

This week, the Department of Homeland security (DHS) directed U.S. consular offices overseas to grant temporary, non-immigrant visas to those living with the virus and who meet all of the other normal criteria for receiving a U.S. visa.