Remarks of the Assistant Secretary of State
for Consular Affairs
Remarks of Maura Harty
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
Annual Conference of the Association of International Education Administrators
February 18, 2005
It is a great pleasure for me to be here today and have the opportunity
to discuss with you the efforts of the Department of State, and specifically
the Bureau of Consular Affairs, to maintain the openness of the United
States to international visitors. I know many of you attended the
NAFSA Conference in Baltimore at which I spoke, and I thank you for
the
warm reception I received there.
A lot has changed over the last twelve months, and I am pleased
to be able to brief you today on what I consider to be the great
progress we have made in improving the service we provide to foreign
student visa applicants, and therefore to you. I would also like
to thank you for your suggestions and support.
Let me start, however,
with what has not changed. That is our immutable commitment to
supporting international educational exchange.
The men and women of the Department of State share with you a sincere
appreciation of the importance of international education and exchange.
Many of us have had a personal experience in this regard. We have
studied overseas. We have lived overseas. Like many of you, we have
grown in different ways under the tutelage of a talented professor
from another country. Perhaps the spark of interest in international
affairs was ignited for some of us when our families hosted exchange
students in middle school or high school. All of us who serve overseas
learn quickly that understanding and tolerance are fostered by common
experience and that understanding flows both ways. We appreciate
the value of interacting with foreign leaders who are personally
familiar with the United States, instead of having formed their views
through information about the United States presented in a perhaps
biased way by foreign media outlets. In fact, like you, we strive
to identify young people who should study in the United States so
that their understanding of our
nation is fostered at an early stage even before we know just what their respective
leadership roles in their own country might be. And I believe all of us have
a deep and abiding commitment to serving the national interests of our own country.
In the United States Foreign Service, the U.S. academic community has a staunch
ally.
Secure Borders/Open Doors
As academics at leading institutions, you will be familiar with
the importance of context. You can illustrate this point in virtually
every field of academic study.
The context for today’s U.S. visa policy is, quite simply, September 11, 2001.
Our nation changed irrevocably on that day when we lost so many of our own in
the World Trade Center, in the skies above Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon.
We also lost citizens from more than 90 countries. In the immediate aftermath,
the U.S. Government moved quickly
to address our nation’s border security needs and to make our nation safe and
secure for
American citizens and our foreign visitors.
U.S. immigration policy must also be considered, however, in a broader
context, as a reflection of our history, our values and our common
ideals. America is a nation of immigrants, and has always welcomed
visitors from all over the globe. We are a “nation of
nations.” Even before she took the oath of office, our new Secretary of State,
Condoleezza Rice, confirmed her commitment to the abiding tradition of welcoming
visitors to the United States. She stated in her confirmation hearings before
the U.S. Senate,
“Our interaction with the rest of the world
must be a
conversation, not a monologue, and America must remain
open to visitors and workers and students from around the
world. We do not and will not compromise our security
standards, yet if our public diplomacy efforts are to succeed,
we cannot close ourselves off from the rest of the world.”
It is our fundamental commitment to protecting both our nation and
the openness of the United States that underpins our approach to
border security and immigration. Security must always be our first
priority, but we work every day to see that access to our country
is not impeded for those whose presence we encourage and value.
I
have spent my 23 years in the U.S. Foreign Service dedicated to
precisely this conviction. But it is not only the public servant
in me that
speaks in support for international student education and exchange.
It’s also the kid who grew up in the melting pot of New York City.
It’s the student who learned at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service
the value of diverse views offered by students and faculty drawn
from all over the world. It is most definitely the American diplomat
who has seen with her own eyes the light of understanding and recognition
spread by personal interactions between Americans and citizens of
other nations.
The United States is preeminent in business, academia and scientific
research. We attract talented people from the far reaches of the
globe. If you read the “Chronicle of Higher
Education” you might have run across an op-ed piece I wrote in which I maintain
that the loss of even one qualified student is one too many. It bears repeating.
A young person's positive experience in America strengthens and enriches our
nation today and in the future.
Turning the Corner
During the last three years of unprecedented
change in visa practices, we have kept those students in mind.
We know our role in getting that student here on time for the start
of
the school year is critical. At the State Department, I lead a team of people some
7,800 strong at over 200 locations around the world who are committed to turning
the
strength of our beliefs into the proof of our actions.
Let me share with you a little bit of what I saw and experienced
when I became Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs in
November 2002. The Department was under intense scrutiny from Congress,
the public, the media and government watchdog agencies to make sure
that we had in place as strong a shield as possible against those
who would do us harm. We were embarking on a comprehensive review
of visa procedures and making dramatic, even revolutionary changes.
If I can quote from the 9/11 Commission’s Staff report entitled,
September 11 and Terrorist Travel, we were, among other things, “retooling
consular work for counterterrorism, supporting the development of
U.S. and international biometric border and travel document standards,
and enhancing the security
of the U.S. passport system.”
In forging the strongest shield possible, some of the changes we
made resulted in processing delays, and the delays were particularly
troublesome starting in the summer of 2002 and extending into 2003.
Unfortunately, as the saying goes, bad news travels around the world
seven times before good news gets up and has breakfast. It has never
been an option for us to simply shrug our shoulders, cite border
security and accept the status quo. And my team has worked tirelessly
to improve our processes and performance as we have all adapted to
a changed world. Some of you have been kind enough to share with
me your questions and concerns. I would like to address them in part
by discussing some of the ways that we have worked to improve the
transparency, efficiency and predictability of the visa process.
We have made a concerted effort to undertake profound changes to
increase our nation’s security while also trying to mitigate the
impact of those changes on legitimate travelers. We phased in biometric
collection, starting at smaller posts so that, frankly, we could
work the kinks out. The biometric is an electronic scan of the applicant’s
two index fingers that, coupled with a digitized photograph of the
applicant, helps confirm the identity and absolutely matches the
bearer of a visa with that document.
We have added to the resources dedicated to processing visas, even
in spite of a significant drop over the last two years in the number
of visa applications we have received. We have created more than
350 new consular positions since September 2001 and have already
requested funding for an additional 121 consular officer positions
during this budget cycle. Some of you have expressed concern about
waiting times for obtaining visa interviews at specific posts. We
review the waiting times assiduously and have developed rapid response
mechanisms within our fiscal constraints to provide additional resources
to Embassies or Consulates in need.
Increased staffing is only one way in which we have increased the
predictability and efficiency of the visa process. The overwhelming
majority of students have access to an appointment for a visa interview
within one week. Almost all of the visa applications we
receive some 97 percent are processed in one or two days. We are demonstrating
that we are capable of handling more and we would welcome the opportunity to
do more.
We invested $1 million in automating outdated systems and continue
to find ways to streamline the visa process by taking advantage of
systems that
already exist. Many consular sections have utilized the Internet to develop
online appointment systems and are encouraging applicants to use
our online application
forms. We are currently developing a more sophisticated electronic application
process that will allow applicants to submit biographic information so that
we can begin our necessary screening before they even appear for
an interview. We
are also exploring ways to make it more convenient for students to seek visa
appointments at posts overseas before they even leave the U.S. to
visit home.
And although the introduction of biometrics into the visa process
is an advance in border security, we are exploring ways to leverage
this technology to actually facilitate travel. Think of a biometric
visa as a travel and identity credential that, because it is uniform
and
reliable, will help to speed repeat visa applications and a traveler’s passage
through border inspection.
We pursue expanded reciprocity schedules with other
nations in order to issue visas with a longer period of validity to visitors
to the U.S. and to secure these benefits for American citizens traveling to
other nations. I am very pleased that we were recently able to negotiate
an agreement
with the Chinese government that lengthens the validity of visas for tourists
and business travelers from six months to one year. Of course we sought to
expand the reciprocity schedule with the Chinese government for student
visa applicants,
but we hit a roadblock. Our counterparts tell us it would require a change
in their domestic law. Nevertheless, we continue our dialogue on
this issue. Worldwide,
we will continue to push for expanded visa validity where it makes sense and
where our own
citizens will be assured the same treatment.
I know many of you have been concerned about visa applicants who
require special clearances. Two-and-a-half percent of visa applicants
are subject to extra screening, some for national security reasons
due to the applicant’s involvement in a sensitive scientific field.
These are what we refer to as VISAS MANTIS cases. We have streamlined
the screening process so even this small percentage of the overall
number of applicants can expect an answer promptly.
The results of
our efforts make me proud. A year ago, the average processing time
was
about 75 days for a MANTIS case, and I’m sure you heard stories about cases that
took even longer than that. Today, the average processing time for a MANTIS is
less than 14
days.
In addition, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland
Security announced on February 11 that the validity period for VISAS
MANTIS clearances has been extended to up to four years for students.
Clearances for other categories of visas were also extended. This
breakthrough means that, if a student receives a clearance, it remains
valid as long as he or she remains in the program, up to a maximum
of four years.
Some of our other efforts are ongoing, but important
in their own right. We have made the processing of student and
exchange visitor visas a priority at all of our overseas posts. Our
Embassies
and Consulates have developed innovative ways to make sure student
applicants obtain appointments in a timely way. They have been
very successful, using special appointment days or times, group appointments,
dedicated interview windows and other initiatives, and by making
sure that students are aware of them.
We believe that transparency is an important element of the visa
application process, not only as a reflection of the essential fairness
of the United States, but of our grounding in the rule of law. Visa
applicants have more information to plan their travel since we began
posting current visa appointment wait times and processing times
on our Internet website at: www.travel.state.gov. In fact, we overhauled
the website to make it more user-friendly and to provide additional
resource material. Having more information about the process helps
visa applicants be better prepared when they attend an interview.
I know that there is still a widely held perception that changes
in visa processing that we and other agencies implemented discourage
foreign students, exchange visitors, and business travelers from
choosing to visit the United States. This is a perception that
we must work together to dispel.
I am particularly concerned by reports that “America no longer
welcomes foreign students” or that the criteria for issuing student
visas has changed. This is simply not true. In fact, our own statistics
comparing visa applications 2003 and 2004 show that the percentage
of student visa applicants receiving visas has increased by almost
3 percent.
The Big Picture
We have taken steps to address the immediate challenges stemming
from changes to U.S. visa policy, and to improve visa processing
with the security imperative in mind. The Bureau of Consular Affairs
has also taken action in pursuit of our long-term goals: building
capacity to be able to accommodate increasing numbers of visa applicants,
and
encouraging a balance so that the “open doors” component of U.S. policy is as
well-tended as its “secure borders.” They are not mutually exclusive goals and
welcoming
legitimate students to our country is an investment in this nation’s future.
We have developed a veritable management textbook for consular officers
worldwide using sound business practices and standard operating procedures 81 as of this
week to encourage consistency in our consular operations all over the world.
Augmented training at all levels backs up these guidelines. Our introductory
consular training class has been expanded in terms of length and content and
now includes a briefing on the importance of international education and exchange.
We have also developed “Consular
Management Assistance Teams” that are essentially crack management consultants
who travel to Embassies and Consulates to make sure regulations and guidelines
are being implemented uniformly and that services are offered in a courteous,
efficient manner.
More and more consular sections are appointing training coordinators
and implementing orientation programs so that even the newest officers
have the on site and continuing support they need. I hope these efforts
will go a long way toward eliminating the occasional anomalies in
practice. In my capacity as Assistant Secretary I have the opportunity
to speak to Foreign Service Officers at every stage in their careers,
from entry-level officers who have yet to embark on their first tour
of duty, to seasoned veterans including Ambassadors. I take each
opportunity to reinforce the importance this nation ascribes to legitimate
travel to our
shores.
I also take the opportunity when we bring groups of officers and
our locally engaged employees to Washington to impress upon them
the importance of their role. They are, after all, among the first
representatives of the U.S. Government that many foreigners interact
with overseas. They are the “public face” of the Embassy. Courtesy
and respect toward others reflect not only on the U.S. Government
but also on the United States. I firmly believe that, although we
may not be able to fulfill the wishes of every visa applicant, each
one is entitled to a courteous, dignified experience and I am not
shy about sharing my
expectations with the officers in my charge.
Working Together Toward Shared Goals
I said earlier that the Bureau
of Consular Affairs is committed to encouraging legitimate international
students to study in the United States by providing transparent
and predictable visa services. It is in our own national interest
to
continue to encourage people to visit the United States. The U.S.
is preeminent in the field of higher education and gained that
standing with the contributions of countless students and academics
from all
over the world. Beyond the economic benefits, which are impressive,
we as a nation gain so much from the people around the world who
visit our country, study at our premiere colleges and universities,
work in our dynamic business sector, and conduct research at the
leading
medical and scientific facilities in the world.
Specific initiatives including the Bureau and members of the academic
community range from the micro to the macro. For example, the American
Association of Community Colleges has included a letter I drafted
with the information packets it sends out to prospective students.
I recently drafted a welcoming letter for a university in Washington,
D.C. that includes the same message. With input from the U.S. academic
community, we have sent instructions to our consular officers abroad
on the importance of community colleges and English language instruction
as well as other institutions of higher education.
On a broader scale,
I have traveled to approximately 40 countries since I became the
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs in November 2002, and
have made a point of speaking with student groups as often as possible
during those trips. In fact, I’m leaving on Sunday for a trip to
several Asian nations, including three of our diplomatic posts in
China, and a key part of my visit to Beijing will be a speech at
one if its preeminent universities. I can assure you my message to
these students will be that the United States continues to welcome
them.
We encourage consular and public affairs officers at Embassies and
Consulates to work with Education USA advising centers to conduct
outreach to prospective students overseas. Our Embassy and Consulates
in Poland, for example, hold an annual conference with educational
and exchange organizations from both the U.S. and Poland. And in
India and China the two largest sources of foreign students in
the U.S. you need only to look at the websites of our missions
to see how actively they are engaging their publics on this issue.
Is there more work to do? Of course. I look forward to your suggestions
on how we can continue to attract international students to the
premiere academic institutions in the United States and to convincing
them
that our welcome mat is still out.
And now, although I’m afraid my time is limited, I will be happy to take a couple
of your
questions.
This file was updated on February 25. 2005
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