Travel and visa issuance

Brief
September 18, 2003

Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than ever before. If you intend to travel internationally and plan on applying for a new or extended visa, please consider purchasing a plane ticket with flexible return dates.

For many applicants, a personal appearance interview is now required as a standard part of visa processing. Individuals subject to an interview will be informed of this at the time they submit their application. Individuals will be advised to expect delays, as adjudication of the visa is completely unpredictable.

In addition to the interviews, individuals engaged in advanced research or studies involving any of the scientific/technical fields listed in the Critical Fields List (CFL) may be required to go through a Security Advisory Opinion (SAO). The SAO can take several weeks before it's issued to the US Consulate. Details regarding the CFL can be found at the following Web site: travel.state.gov.

Information regarding the 2005 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery is now available online: travel.state.gov/visa.

Any questions should be directed to Amy Garrett, 206-667-4460 or agarrett@fhcrc.org or Jared Roper, 206-667-5818, jroper@fhcrc.org.

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