Committee: Education Abroad Regulatory Practice (EA RP) Committee
Position: Country Coordinator, Consular Affairs Liaison (CAL) Subcommittee
Term Dates: Two-year term, renewable for one term (maximum of 4 years)
The CAL Subcommittee of the EA RP Committee is charged with developing relationships with visa officers at international consulates in the United States to clarify visa and immigration procedures for U.S. students studying abroad via NAFSA’s website and EA Visa Help platform. The CAL Subcommittee is seeking country coordinators to assist subcommittee consular affairs liaisons and facilitate contact with the appropriate embassies in Washington, DC, for Italy, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The country coordinator will be appointed by the chair of the CAL Subcommittee. There is an additional country coordinator to assist with visa questions for regions in the rest of the world. The focus of these relationships will be mutual assistance. NAFSA staff will work with the subcommittee chair and the country coordinators to establish contacts with embassy staff across the United States with whom subcommittee members can liaise on visa and immigration issues.
Position updated August 2023
NAFSA is not currently accepting applications for this position. Visit NAFSA Volunteer Leadership to learn about available opportunities.
Major Functions and Responsibilities
Within the framework of NAFSA’s Strategic Plan, this position will:
- Initiate, sustain, and enrich working relationships with the consulates for your country group.
- Identify changes in visa policies and procedures for the assigned country and inform the country coordinator and NAFSA staff.
- Curate content for NAFSA web pages on education abroad visas and ensure information is relevant and current.
- Respond to requests for assistance from education abroad colleagues regarding student visa matters in the EA Visa Help platform and assign to the appropriate liaison.
- Work in partnership with NAFSA staff to resolve policy and procedure issues in a fashion that assists the consulate visa office and the study abroad program advisers.
- Participate actively in the EAKC Network by prompting or responding to discussions on student visas. Act as a resource for colleagues with questions and concerns throughout the year.
- Encourage and facilitate the inclusion of content on education abroad visas for consideration at annual and regional conferences. Develop and present sessions as appropriate when possible and appropriate.
- Collaborate with the subcommittee chair and the NAFSA staff partner to achieve these goals.
Sample Projects
- Annual and regional conference presentations and dialogues on visas for education abroad
- Online information sessions on visas for education abroad
- Advocacy with foreign consulates to clarify visa applications requirements and procedures
- Timely responses to queries submitted via the EA Visa Help platform
- Updates to the web pages on Visas for Education Abroad
Commitment
- Prepare for and attend CAL meetings throughout the year. Most meetings are virtual.
- Expected attendance on subcommittee quarterly calls and contributions to cross-collaborative projects.
- Attendance at CAL meetings at the NAFSA annual conference in May.
- Current NAFSA membership throughout the length of volunteer service is required.
Qualifications
- Ability to communicate with colleagues and government officials in a collegial and diplomatic fashion.
- Detailed knowledge of visa procedures for students studying abroad from the United States, and the country for which you are assigned.
- Institutional support for this volunteer commitment.
- Willingness to adopt organization-wide perspectives and EA RP strategic priorities
- Willingness to adopt association priorities and perspectives on volunteer development and management
