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Slowdown on U.S. Visas Stalls Business, Science and Personal Travel Plans
By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS

ASHINGTON, Oct. 12 — A global slowdown in the issuing of American visas to foreigners is disrupting lives in the United States and abroad. It is interfering with scientific research and business deals, forcing some people to postpone medical treatment and weddings and stranding others away from their homelands, say government officials and advocates for immigrants.
As part of sweeping changes in government rules after the attacks of Sept. 11, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are comparing all visa applications against lists of criminals or terrorism suspects. As a result, visa applications are being delayed all over the world, not just in Muslim countries where many applicants, especially young men, have been required to undergo especially detailed reviews.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell recently voiced concern about the delays in a private meeting with lawmakers.
In an embarrassing episode in July, the State Department was forced to cancel about 100 visas that had already been issued — and in some cases used to enter the United States — after the F.B.I. reported that the names had raised concerns. Since then, visa delays have increased greatly.
Consular officials declined to comment on the extent of the problem, except to say that their abrupt release of 10,000 visas last month was an attempt to clear the backlog.
Some applicants have been waiting for months after clearance of their visas by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which normally takes 100 days to approve petitions for visas. Visas are issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the State Department after applicants have cleared security investigations.
"The fact is there are some national security reviews going on for visas," said Stuart Patt, a spokesman for the consular affairs bureau. "Some people are being inconvenienced by it, but the interests of the country are such that we must have visas reviewed by the law enforcement agencies."
The delays have been especially pronounced in China and Russia, even though their citizens have not been linked to the Sept. 11 attacks.
For example, a Chinese scientist who played a role in a recent breakthrough in AIDS research is unable to return to the biotech company in Fremont, Calif., where he works until he clears a new security review. The scientist, Siyu Fu, who has lived in the United States for more than three years, has been told to prepare for a wait of up to three months in Switzerland, where he traveled in September for what he thought would be a routine business trip, said his lawyer, Lisa Spiegel.
Universities like Michigan State are fretting over the loss of Chinese students and teaching assistants who have missed the start of the term.
"In a place like Moscow, things get gummed up pretty quickly," said Lisa Choate, a spokeswoman for American Councils, a nonprofit group that arranges student exchanges financed by the State Department. Three groups of high school students missed their visits because their visas were not ready.
"We spend endless hours just trying to figure out what to do and how to do it," Ms. Choate said.
The delays have stymied Kip Thorne, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology, who is part of a wide effort to prove Einstein's general theory of relativity. His Russian colleague, Vladimir Braginsky, who has visited the United States regularly over three decades, has been waiting since July for a visa to collaborate on the billion-dollar taxpayer-financed project involving 13 nations.
Despite many calls to officials in Washington, Professor Thorne said, Dr. Braginsky "has been left hanging for three months" without any information on the status of his visa.
"It is a great embarrassment to me, as an American citizen, to have to tell my foreign colleagues of this situation when they inquire about Braginsky," Professor Thorne said,
John Lanzetta, a financial planner in Swedesboro, N.J., is still waiting for his fiancée, who is in Moscow. Her visa was cleared by the immigration service in August, pending a security review.
"Emotionally, it's just draining," said Mr. Lanzetta, who says is phone bills are $1,000 a month as he tries to console his Siberian-born fiancée, Lyudmilla Chernyakhovskaya.
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Officials say the security agencies, the F.B.I. and the C.I.A., are overwhelmed by the requests for visa security checks at a time when they are scrambling to update their watch lists of suspected terrorists. The watch lists include a database known as Tipoff that contains more than 80,000 names, with 2,000 more names being added every month. The security agencies workloads have surged 455 percent since Sept. 11, Chris Kojm, a State Department intelligence official, recently said at the joint Congressional inquiry into the attacks.

Troubled by previous lapses and confused about its role in the process, the C.I.A. lowered its criteria for placing applicants on the list, swelling the pool of suspects, according to a report last month by Eleanor Hill, the staff director of the Congressional inquiry.
"Tipoff is not adequately staffed to handle the increased workload," Ms. Hill said at a hearing of the joint committee. She added that the program's staff members — 11 full-time workers and a few part-time workers — are called upon "after hours, nights, weekends, wee hours."
In the July incident in which about 100 visas were canceled, consular officials declined to discuss the operation or say whether, under closer scrutiny, the F.B.I. concerns led to searches or arrests.
After that, consular officials imposed a rule that no more visas be granted without the explicit approval of the security agencies, officials said. In the past, the State Department gave the C.I.A. and the F.B.I. 30 days to raise objections to a visa applicant, then processed the request as though the applicant had been cleared.
Some foreigners interested in coming to the United States seem to have given up on getting visas. In the last two months, State Department revenues from visa applications have fallen by 30 percent, officials said. Faced with a budget shortage, the department is planning to raise its fees to $100 from $60 for processing nonimmigrant visas.
Some applicants have sought to speed up their initial petitions for a visa by paying $1,000 for premium processing. By paying that fee, business executives, high-tech workers and performers have managed to shorten their wait at the hands of the immigration service to two weeks from 100 days, but they still must face the security reviews.
"The cumulative effect of all these measures is to discourage people from coming here," said Jonathan Ginsburg, a Virginia immigration lawyer who was briefed this week by consular officials. At some point, Mr. Ginsburg added, one has to ask: "Well, gee, isn't this going to have an effect on the overall economy?"
Consular officials acknowledge that they are taking few chances. Their bureau faced fierce criticism over the past year after the disclosure that 15 of the Sept. 11 hijackers had been granted visas to enter the United States, three of them without being interviewed by a consular official. The assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, Mary A. Ryan, was forced to resign, and her example weighs heavily on her former employees, officials say.
"If one of these other agencies comes in late and we've already issued the visa, who's going to be faulted for not caring about national security?" asked one State Department official. "It's going to be the visa officer, the State Department."
As it stands, the department would lose much of its visa-granting powers to President Bush's proposed Department of Homeland Security. Under the White House plan, the new department would set the guidelines and hold the legal authority for issuing visas, leaving the State Department's consular corps to carry out the paperwork.
The State Department last year issued 5.7 million nonimmigrant visas of all types.
Now, stranded travelers, their loved ones and colleagues are beginning to clog the e-mail systems and fax machines on Capitol Hill with complaints.
"There are all kinds of problems," said one Senate aide who works on immigration. "It's affecting a lot of legitimate travelers."
Some lawmakers have interceded on behalf of high-profile applicants. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican of Texas, recently manage to free visas for Russian hockey players so they could join the Dallas Stars, aides said.
"We regularly help people who have legitimate concerns, who are not security risks," said Lisette Mondello, the senator's spokeswoman.
But celebrity is not a guarantee. In September, Chucho Valdes, the Cuban jazz pianist, missed a chance to accept his first Latin Grammy. He was among 22 Cuban nominees who could not get visas that would have allowed them to attend the Los Angeles ceremony.
Responding to the outcry over that incident, the State Department late last month suddenly released the 10,000 visas to applicants that were being reviewed under the Visas Condor program, a security check for foreign students, business people and certain other travelers. Once the system is functioning properly, officials said, security delays will be reduced to one month.

... in response to NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, posted by JR on Oct 14, 2002

It sounds like we could if we wanted to.

... in response to NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, posted by JR on Oct 14, 2002

I'm not currently in the process of doing this but I know a lot of men here who are waiting. Man that is not good.

... in response to well that sucks for us..., posted by Frank O on Oct 14, 2002

Yes... but if you are lucky... and things work out with your model in Lugansk, it won't affect you.

Currently, Warsaw isn't being delayed.

Snowwego was just there a few weeks ago, and got his Visa the next day.

Here's hoping things stay status quo for Ukraine! (And here's hoping Moscow gets its act together for our brethern there...)

... in response to Yes... but if you are lucky..., posted by MarkInTx on Oct 14, 2002

this forum a real blessing in spite of some of weirdos in here.

... in response to It's info sharing like this that makes....., posted by Frank O on Oct 14, 2002

Yes... Well...

As my pappy used to tell me:

"Son, In Life sometimes you have to take the bad with the... lousy ..."

Sometimes the lousy seems to win out. But hang in there. Goof information CAN be had.

And within a few weeks, you quickly know who's who, and know who's posts to kind of gloss over.

Basically, as long as you NEVER say a bad word about FirstDream, the bullies will pretty much leave you alone. (Also, don't say anything about the "Elder Statesmen", either. If you disagree... just remain silent like most of the other guys here. Soon, you too will be accepted. Feel free to attack the newbies as much as you want to, though...)

You'll be fine... Unless of course, you have the audacity to go over on your first trip and find happiness. Then all of the guys who have tried and failed will take some cheap shots at you, and predict your eventual failure, make insinuations about your lady, and generally try to make themselves happier by trying raining on your parade.

I find that the best way to get over their small-mindedness is to remember what I have to look forward to when I shut off the computer... and remember what they have...

Then it's easy to understand why what goes on here is so important to them... and means almost nothing to me...

FWIW... hang in there. I'm looking forward to your trip report. When are you going to be back from Ukraine?

... in response to Yes, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 14, 2002

I found this post of yours very humorous. I had a good laugh.

I have to disagree with you on this one in the sense that this is too much an over generalization. Also, your experiences are not what everyone else has experienced.

Anyone can make any statement they want and get away with it as long as one is diplomatic. People may not agree but, an attack is not eminent.

People get into trouble when they make all sweeping generalized statements, or attack someone without there being any real substance backing it.

Also, if someone is liked, certainly they will have supporters. However, there is a reason that they are liked.

... in response to /, posted by thesearch on Oct 15, 2002

n/t

... in response to Yes, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 14, 2002

...you'd hurry up and get what's coming to you. Then you'll be gone, at least until you come back crying. Frankly, I don't want what your looking forward to, thought I made that clear awhile back. Some of us have already done far better.

"I cost us 30 days"...lol!! Now turn off your computer and snuggle up with that spare pillow, if it'll have you.

... in response to Yes, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 14, 2002

I'll be back after about 4 days. Actually I'll be back then go to Cancun with a friend from Veracruz.

... in response to November 21st if goes well if not..., posted by Frank O on Oct 15, 2002

Unhappily (for me) I'll probably still be here then.

I figure my lady won't be here until Mid-December.

But, that means that Iat least I'll get a chance to hear what happened with your lady and you.

Good luck!

... in response to Well... unhappily, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 15, 2002

You mean you are gonna blow this place once your lady gets here?

You can still post without taking time away from your lady. You must be posting some of the time from a place like work?

If that is the case my bet says that you will only reduce the quantity of posts. That is my call. My bet is you will find when the time comes that I am correct on this one.

... in response to Mark come on.............., posted by thesearch on Oct 15, 2002

I work from home most of the time, so it's no problem. I can find the time... no question about that...

It's not that Greg. If you saw my other posts it has nothing to do with time. KenC still posts here, and he's married and runs his own business. Of course I could still find the time...

I just wouldn't want Victoria reading some of the crap on here. Guys have taken shots at her... called her names... spread lies about meeting her... and all kinds of stupid stuff... Why would I want her to see that?

I'm not saying I will never post ever again... but it's gone from my bookmarks, and it will be VERY infrequent...

... in response to Actually, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 15, 2002

How Good are her English skills? --- relative to reading here?

I may be naive but, at that point, I would not think that anyone would do this.

Now that would be a reason to bann someone IMHO.

... in response to Actually, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 15, 2002

n/t

... in response to November 21st if goes well if not..., posted by Frank O on Oct 15, 2002

Don't forget to ask her about that resturant and hotel.

... in response to Yes, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 14, 2002

MarkinTex, let's also remind him how some feel around here about guys who treat these ladies with little or no respect.

And be truthful to the guy MarkinTex, tell him how a lot of the guys here care about other guys who they see getting scammed, or even getting involved with a not so nice girl.

You only tell him one side of the story MarkinTex, like you only speak from one side of your mouth.

... in response to (*/*), posted by Jack on Oct 14, 2002

Yes... some guys on here are actually looking out for the benefit of their "fellow man." They honestly want to help keep others from getting scammed.

There is no doubt that there are quite a few good guys on here.

And, there are some are only trying to feel smart and self-important.

The challenge is figuring out which is which...