International
continued from page 1
visas, were delayed or weren’t al
lowed into the country at all.
“ISEAS Web-based infrastructure
was not working in a way that U.S.
embassies and consulates could ac
cess the system,” Stark said. “With
out having confirmation on ISEAS,
consulates wouldn’t issue student
visas.”
Howard Hsia, a junior psycholo
gy major from Taiwan, said he en
countered more obstacles to enter
the country on a student visa this
year. He said he had to wait in line
two hours in order to get an inter
view with a consulate, and he was
required to show more proof and
was asked more questions regarding
his eligibility to be an international
student than in previous years.
Before the tightened inspection
of applicants and the increased reg
ulations on student visa procedures
that caused headaches for people
like Hsia, international students
had fewer obstacles before entering
the United States.
Typically, students were granted
visas by presenting admissions pa
pers and immigration documents
from educational institutions at the
U.S. Embassy in their home coun
try. In an interview with a consulate
official, students had to prove they
met academic requirements,
weren’t intending to become per
manent residents and had sufficient
resources to support themselves
during the course of their studies.
Now, Stark said, students apply
ing for visas are being screened
more carefully, and once they enter
the United States, they are being
monitored more carefully.
Not all University international
students have had problems.
Yumi Suzuki, a junior political
science major from Tokyo, said ac
quiring a student visa was easy. She
began the application process in
late June or early July, and was able
to mail the necessary paperwork to
the embassy instead of appearing
for a personal interview.
Suzuki’s student visa came in the
mail three weeks later, and she ar
rived in the U.S. on Sept. 12.
Stark said the increased difficul
ty of acquiring student visas might
discourage international students
from applying to the University.
“I think the perception of the dif
ficulty may reduce the number of
international students,” Stark said.
Stark said that while she under
stands the need for increased secu
rity, she said international students
are being unfairly targeted for ob
servation because they’re supposed
to be in a specific location once in
the United States.
“I think the U.S. is justified in be
ing concerned about security, but I
think also that student visas were
unfairly targeted because they rep
resent a small percentage of people
from other countries in the U.S.,”
said Stark.
Contact the reporter
atjenniferbear@dailyemerald.com.
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