The Hindu Business Line : US scientists' plea for changes in visa regime

THE "National Academies" in the US have joined with more than 20 other education, science and engineering groups in supporting changes to the US visa policy.

The `National Academies' describe itself as "advisors to the nation on science, engineering and medicine." More than 20 science, higher-education and engineering groups, representing some 95 per cent of the US research community, had earlier urged the Federal Government to adopt six practical recommendations for solving the current visa-processing crisis, by removing unnecessary barriers to multi-national discoveries.

The joint statement expressed support for the US Government's efforts to establish new visa policies while bolstering security. The flow of international students, scholars and researchers to America's campuses was important to the nation's economy, to its education and research enterprises, and to national security. With applications declining, it was clear that many of the best and brightest students abroad no longer believed the US was the destination of choice. This was a trend that needed to be reversed.

A survey earlier this year documented a substantial drop in applications by international graduate students to leading US research institutions for the 2004-05 academic year. In 2000, only 1,000 non-immigrant visa applications were flagged for review under the Visas Mantis program, one of several US screening systems. By 2002, that number had risen to 14,000. By 2003, some 1,000 cases were under review at any point.

At the same time, an increased number of cases were being set aside for even more detailed screening, creating massive backlogs.

The recommendations made in the statement were designed to combat "the misperception that the US does not welcome international students, scholars and scientists."

The statement was believed to be the first time that US science and academic leaders had endorsed a comprehensive plan to address the visa-processing quagmire, which emerged from security concerns in the wake of terrorist attacks.

"We are resolute in our support of a secure visa system and believe that a more efficient system is a more secure one," the groups said in the statement routed to the US policymakers.

"We also are confident that it is possible to have a visa system that is timely and transparent, that provides for thorough reviews of visa applicants, and that still welcomes the brightest minds in the world," it said.

While the need to ensure national security was indisputable, legitimate applications from scholars and students seeking to improve human welfare must not become snared in red tape.

Scientific advances to combat HIV and AIDS, hunger, terrorism and many other crises would require the contributions of scholars from many regions, the statement said.