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KUALA LUMPUR: The US Embassy has been given the green light to issue several hundred visas that have been delayed following discussions between Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and US government officials in Washington.
In a press statement, the embassy encourages visa applicants not to call the visa section during the next few days, while they work to notify applicants and issue their visas.
“Such calls will slow down the process for everyone. Historically, very few Malaysian citizens seeking to study at US universities and schools have been denied visas.
“This has not changed in the last year, only the length of time it is taking to process these visas.’’
However, the statement added that the United States did not use an applicant’s race, religion or gender as criteria for issuing or denying visas.
Some visa applicants worldwide are subject to additional background and security checks.
“The primary responsibility of our consular officers is to ensure that applicants to whom they issue visas have bona fide reasons for travel and do not pose a security threat.
“This is a serious responsibility that takes precedence over all other considerations in adjudicating visa applications.’’
The US Embassy regretted any uncertainty and inconvenience caused by these new procedures.
In order to process and issue the large number of visas for Malaysian citizens who have been approved, the embassy’s non-immigrant visa sections would be closed for cases requiring personal interviews today and tomorrow.
Emergency applications will still be accepted on a case-by-case basis in the next two days.
Visa applicants who have not been instructed to appear for an interview may continue to submit their passports and supporting documents this week for normal processing through approved travel agents or at the embassy main gate.
American citizen services and immigrant visa services will not be affected by this temporary suspension on non-immigrant visa interviews.
In Sungai Petani, V. CHANDRASEKARAN reports that a group of top students, including Ong Jin Hock who was the country’s SPM top scorer in 2000, heaved a sigh of relief following the US government’s assurance to expedite visa approvals.
“I hope the US authorities will issue the visas as soon as possible,” said Jin Hock who scored 13 1As in SPM.
Jin Hock was to have left for the United States on Aug 17 after securing a place in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to do Electronic Engineering and Computer Science but had to stay back because of the delay in the visa approval.
He said the US university had approved his enrolment to be deferred to the next intake in January next year.
Jin Hock’s classmate, P. Jiraindira, was equally happy as they had waited for more than a month for a positive response from the US Embassy.
Jiraindira, who secured a place in the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a degree programme in Computer Science, said he was among 30 students who received a call from the US Embassy on Sept 10 informing him that their visas had been approved.
“Nothing is confirmed until I receive my visa. However, the US government’s assurance to expedite the approval is welcome news,’’ he said.
Mohamed Juairi Jaafar from Skudai, Johor, who was offered a place in the University of California for an Electronic Engineering degree course, is still wary about the situation as things may change anytime.
“But I am happy that there is some hope after the long wait,” he said.
