Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›North America›US visa delays stretch beyond two months for some Chin…
US visa delays stretch beyond two months for some Chinese students
Students interviewed by SCMP Economy said extended background checks under US administrative processing have pushed at least one admitted master’s student to defer enrollment until next year.
Late August is typically when international students arrive for the start of US campuses, but Chinese applicants described visa processing delays and diplomatic tensions that are turning scheduled departures into open-ended waits, according to SCMP Economy.
Students said the US immigration law provision known as administrative processing, or visa checks, can require additional documents and security reviews before visas are approved.
One Beijing resident, Ray Zhou, said his prolonged checks have stretched beyond two months for a master’s degree in computer science, forcing him to defer enrollment until next year.
SCMP Economy also reported that affected students described a shift from initial relief at avoiding an immediate refusal to anxiety as the semester start date approached.