Visa application delays | enough already with sequestration

visa application delayed more than three months, 24FEB-28MAY

A foreign-based client had planned a summer vacation for his young family in the United States. They planned to travel to the U.S. next week and spend more than a month in our country. Planning well ahead, he submitted his Visa application more than three months before his scheduled departure date.

Three months later... and the visa was still "undergoing necessary administrative processing." Yesterday, he came up against the cancel deadline for his hotel stays and was forced to cancel his entire month-long vacation in the USA. The above screen shot was sent to me yesterday, and it clearly makes the point.

What's going on with slow response times for visa applications? I'm guessing visa application delays are a consequence of sequestration, and I suggest it's time to resolve this political game of chicken between the Left and Right. Nobody wins here. Multiply this occurrence by thousands or tens of thousands of visitors applying to visit to the United States. Then calculate (a) the monumental loss to the U.S. economy and (b) the loss of good will that is created by travel and tourism.

World travelers are the planet's best ambassadors for promoting good will and understanding, and governments should smooth the way for tourists to travel internationally. Travel is one way to help create a more peaceful world.


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copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.