International Education Group Urges Balanced Visa-processing System

As the August 1 deadline for new visa interview requirements at U.S. consulates worldwide approaches, NAFSA: Association of International Educators has issued a comprehensive set of recommendations for a balanced visa-processing system for foreign students and scholars that would implement the State Department's recently announced policy of promoting “secure borders, open doors.”

International educators across the country have voiced serious concerns about the possibility of a repeat of last year’s substantial visa delays for new and returning foreign students and scholars in the United States. A recent State Department cable instructing consulates to give priority processing to foreign academic and exchange visa applicants, and recent statements by Secretaries Ridge and Powell about the importance of achieving a balance in the implementation of security measures, are encouraging. Still, continuing reports of visa delays and their impact on educational, scientific, and cultural exchanges are worrisome.

NAFSA strongly supports the implementation of a visa system that protects U.S. national security and provides for predictable, efficient handling of legitimate applications that support our national interests. Among NAFSA’s recommendations, as recently proposed by leading higher education groups, is the phasing-in of new procedures as more resources become available. In addition to urging increased resources, its recommendations emphasize that a comprehensive approach to visa-processing will require focused screening procedures; timely, transparent, and predictable visa processing; and strong leadership at the policy level.

Promoting Secure Borders and Open Doors
Recommendations for a Balanced Visa-Processing System For Students and Scholars

1. Provide the necessary resources, and manage within them.
   • Congress must act to bring the resources appropriated for the consular affairs function into line with the increased scrutiny of visa applicants that Congress demands.
   • Meanwhile, State must manage within the available resources. State should phase in new procedures as increased resources become available, as recommended by the Association of American Universities and other higher education associations.
2. State must focus efforts on those who require special screening. An unfocused visa-screening policy will produce neither sufficient attention to problem cases nor timely processing for legitimate visitors.
   • End redundant reviews. Too many resources are now wasted in multiple reviews of the same people.
   • Solve the temporary departure problem. The presumption should be that clearance is good for duration of status or program. Any necessary reviews within this period should be fast-tracked.
     
   • There should be a presumption of approval for repeat visitors who have previously been granted visas and who have no status violations.
   • State must revert to its time-tested practice of giving posts discretion to grant waivers of personal appearance, subject to State’s policy guidance and approval, as recommended in December 2002 by the State Department Inspector General.
3. State must create a timely, transparent and predictable visa process.
   • “Reimpose the clock,” as recommended by National Foreign Trade Council. An efficient inter-agency process is impossible without effective time guidelines. NAFSA suggests a 30-day standard, with a “hotline” to help resolve cases that require more than 30 days to process.
   • Make ground rules predictable by imposing them prospectively—i.e., on future applicants, not on those already in the pipeline. This is necessary to avoid a repeat of the debacle of summer 2002.
4. Policy
   • Congress and DHS must act to make “Secure Borders-Open Doors” the effective policy guidance for State. State cannot implement an effective, efficient visa system absent the appropriate policy guidance.