Activity report
U.S. Visa Seminar
March 23, 2002
at the US Embassy in Tokyo
Once a year, JAOS holds a study seminar concerning changes in U.S. visa policy and procedure in cooperation with the Public Affairs Section (PAS), of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. The U.S. Embassy stated that, despite rumors of tightening visa restrictions in the wake of September 11, they would continue to welcome those students who, as in the past, qualified for U.S. entry visas. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy reported that out of a total of 100, 000 visas that were issued last year, 21,000 or approximately 1/5 were student visas. However, after the events of September 11, the visa issuance numbers decreased by 30% between October – November 2001, and decreased by 40% in December 2001, in comparison to the previous year. In February of 2002, the visa issuance numbers decreased by 10% in comparison to the same period last year. In addition, we received an advance announcement concerning the ISEAS (Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System), which will be introduced by the U.S. Embassy by January 2003 at the latest. As part of this announcement, the U.S. Embassy confirmed that from now on they will be prepared to work more closely with JAOS in order make the visa process run more smoothly. This will be benefit both JAOS as well as the U.S. Embassy.