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פורסם אתמול והובא ע"י עו"ד ליעם שוורץ מהפורום ב- Ynet: State Department Puts Foreign Students and Professors First in Line for Visa Interviews By MICHAEL ARNONE The Chronicle of Higher Education Under pressure from college advocacy groups, the U.S. Department of State has told its overseas consular offices to schedule students, professors, and researchers first in interviews that are part of antiterrorism screenings of nearly all visa applicants. Copies of the notice were sent by telegram on June 3 by Janice L. Jacobs, deputy assistant secretary for visa services. The message tells all diplomatic and consular posts to "give priority to students and exchange visitors in the professor, student, and research-scholar categories." The telegram, which the State Department did not publicize, modifies a May message that required almost all foreigners seeking visas -- millions of people -- to have in-person interviews with consular officials before getting approval for the documents. The program scrutinizes foreign visitors more closely in the hopes of weeding out potential terrorists. All consular offices must begin following the rule by August 1. College officials are afraid that the requirement will lead to increased delays that will keep students and scholars from arriving on campuses in time for the fall term. By requiring so many people to have interviews, "we were afraid that our people would just get lost in the queue," said Victor C. Johnson, associate executive director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Reports are already circulating of foreign students and scholars who cannot obtain visa interviews before they are due on their campuses, Mr. Johnson said. He and other college officials fear that the delays will discourage foreign students and scholars from coming to American institutions to study, teach, or do research
פורסם אתמול והובא ע"י עו"ד ליעם שוורץ מהפורום ב- Ynet: State Department Puts Foreign Students and Professors First in Line for Visa Interviews By MICHAEL ARNONE The Chronicle of Higher Education Under pressure from college advocacy groups, the U.S. Department of State has told its overseas consular offices to schedule students, professors, and researchers first in interviews that are part of antiterrorism screenings of nearly all visa applicants. Copies of the notice were sent by telegram on June 3 by Janice L. Jacobs, deputy assistant secretary for visa services. The message tells all diplomatic and consular posts to "give priority to students and exchange visitors in the professor, student, and research-scholar categories." The telegram, which the State Department did not publicize, modifies a May message that required almost all foreigners seeking visas -- millions of people -- to have in-person interviews with consular officials before getting approval for the documents. The program scrutinizes foreign visitors more closely in the hopes of weeding out potential terrorists. All consular offices must begin following the rule by August 1. College officials are afraid that the requirement will lead to increased delays that will keep students and scholars from arriving on campuses in time for the fall term. By requiring so many people to have interviews, "we were afraid that our people would just get lost in the queue," said Victor C. Johnson, associate executive director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Reports are already circulating of foreign students and scholars who cannot obtain visa interviews before they are due on their campuses, Mr. Johnson said. He and other college officials fear that the delays will discourage foreign students and scholars from coming to American institutions to study, teach, or do research