INS Imposes New Student Rules
— -- INS Stiffens Restrictions on Foreign Students
W A S H I N G T O N, April 9 — Hoping to better track foreign visitors andkeep out would-be terrorists, immigration officials are tighteningstudent visa rules and proposing shorter U.S. trips for touristsand business travelers.
Effective immediately, any foreigner wishing to study in theUnited States must have an approved student visa before takingcourses, the Immigration and Naturalization Service said Monday.
The INS also is proposing to restrict tourists and businesstravelers to 30-day visits, down from the current six months.
The INS has been under intense scrutiny since the Sept. 11terrorist attacks, with some in Congress calling for the agency tobe dismantled. Supporters and critics agree that the agency isburdened with conflicting missions to help immigrants enter andstay in the country and to identify and keep out those who try toenter illegally or who may pose a danger.
The restrictions on travelers potentially could affect more than2 million visits to the United States a year and were immediatelycriticized by people in the travel industry.
"Any time we make it more difficult — erect barriers or tightenbarriers — for people to come into our country, we give themincentive to go someplace else," said Elise Wander of the TravelIndustry Association of America.
The INS says it had 10 million tourist visa admissions to theUnited States in 2000, the latest year with available data. Inthree-quarters of those admissions, the visitors stayed less than amonth. In 2.5 million cases, business travelers stayed an average13 days.
"The reason to make these changes is to increase our control onwho is coming in and increase our awareness of what they intend todo while here," said INS spokesman Bill Strassberger.
Visitors would have to show unexpected or compelling reasons foran extension of a travel visa, such as the need for medicaltreatment or a delay in completing a business matter, Strassbergersaid. The maximum length of a visa extension would be reduced fromone year to six months.
