Home >
Public Policy >
Public Policy
House Committee Examines Visa Processing Delays
On April 4, the House Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), held a hearing to examine the impact of visa processing delays on the arts, education, and business.
Witnesses testifying before the committee included Tony Edson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services at the U.S. State Department; Jess T. Ford, Director of International Affairs and Trade, U.S. Government Accountability Office; and several representatives from the arts and business communities, most notably Mr. Yo-Yo Ma, world-renowned cellist and Artistic Director of the Silk Road Project, Inc., an organization that brings together musicians in the Silk Road region stretching across the Middle East and Asia from the Mediterranean Sea to Japan.
In his opening statement, Chairman Davis expressed concerns that many of the changes applied since 9/11, such as the requirement that nearly every visa applicant must be interviewed in person, have placed tremendous strains on the visa application process, resulting in lengthy delays at some of the larger posts. “We need to find ways to maximize security while simultaneously preserving the vibrant and open character of American society.” Stringent controls have been imposed on the application process to protect the nation's security, but the committee’s ranking minority member, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) remarked that "security is enhanced by the exchange of people and ideas." Additionally, committee members Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) both reiterated the importance of sending a message overseas that the United States welcomes foreign students, and that the nation's overly stringent visa application process only serves in deterring them from coming to study here.
In his testimony, Edson cited the progress that the State Department has made since September 11, noting hiring increases (515 new consular officers), training enhancements, and improvements for transmitting and receiving interagency security clearances. He also stated that the State Department is exploring the feasibility of moving to an all-electronic, interactive visa application form to help further streamline the process. Ford emphasized that the State Department must do more to assess its overall resources in order to better address the increasing global demand for visas. In his testimony, Ma urged Congress to help simplify the visa process for musicians, as the new guidelines were having a negative impact on the performing arts. Witnesses from the business community focused on the negative impact that delays (up to 163 days in some countries) in scheduling interviews at consular offices were having on the flow of business. All strongly encouraged the agencies involved in the visa process to reassess the restrictions which are causing an increasing number of students, scientists, and businesses to look to other countries for their academic, research, or business needs.
Read more information about the hearing, including the complete statements by the witnesses.
Read the GAO report, Border Security: Reassessment of Consular Resource Requirements Could Help Address Visa Delays
Read NAFSA’s March 2 statement on visa policy.
Read NAFSA's annotated visa policy recommendations.
Witnesses testifying before the committee included Tony Edson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services at the U.S. State Department; Jess T. Ford, Director of International Affairs and Trade, U.S. Government Accountability Office; and several representatives from the arts and business communities, most notably Mr. Yo-Yo Ma, world-renowned cellist and Artistic Director of the Silk Road Project, Inc., an organization that brings together musicians in the Silk Road region stretching across the Middle East and Asia from the Mediterranean Sea to Japan.
In his opening statement, Chairman Davis expressed concerns that many of the changes applied since 9/11, such as the requirement that nearly every visa applicant must be interviewed in person, have placed tremendous strains on the visa application process, resulting in lengthy delays at some of the larger posts. “We need to find ways to maximize security while simultaneously preserving the vibrant and open character of American society.” Stringent controls have been imposed on the application process to protect the nation's security, but the committee’s ranking minority member, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) remarked that "security is enhanced by the exchange of people and ideas." Additionally, committee members Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) both reiterated the importance of sending a message overseas that the United States welcomes foreign students, and that the nation's overly stringent visa application process only serves in deterring them from coming to study here.
In his testimony, Edson cited the progress that the State Department has made since September 11, noting hiring increases (515 new consular officers), training enhancements, and improvements for transmitting and receiving interagency security clearances. He also stated that the State Department is exploring the feasibility of moving to an all-electronic, interactive visa application form to help further streamline the process. Ford emphasized that the State Department must do more to assess its overall resources in order to better address the increasing global demand for visas. In his testimony, Ma urged Congress to help simplify the visa process for musicians, as the new guidelines were having a negative impact on the performing arts. Witnesses from the business community focused on the negative impact that delays (up to 163 days in some countries) in scheduling interviews at consular offices were having on the flow of business. All strongly encouraged the agencies involved in the visa process to reassess the restrictions which are causing an increasing number of students, scientists, and businesses to look to other countries for their academic, research, or business needs.
Read more information about the hearing, including the complete statements by the witnesses.
Read the GAO report, Border Security: Reassessment of Consular Resource Requirements Could Help Address Visa Delays
Read NAFSA’s March 2 statement on visa policy.
Read NAFSA's annotated visa policy recommendations.
