US tightens visa policy for Chinese children under 14
What's the story
The United States Embassy in China has revised its visa policy for children under 14 years of age. The new rule, which came into effect on Tuesday, mandates that applicants in this age group must now attend an interview with at least one parent. This is a departure from the previous system, where they could apply without an interview.
Policy change
Changes announced on USTravelDocs
The decision to tighten the visa rules comes after Washington's recent threats to "aggressively revoke" visas of Chinese students in the United States of America. The embassy announced the changes on its official visa application website, USTravelDocs. It said applicants under 14 will no longer be eligible for an interview waiver when applying for a non-immigrant visa.
Documentation requirement
What the new rules say
Under the new rules, children under 14 applying for a non-immigrant visa will have to submit several documents. However, applications submitted before Tuesday will still follow the old rules, although applicants may be asked to attend an interview in "certain cases." Tracy Shao, a study abroad consultant based in Chengdu, called the new policy confusing. "Do babies who don't even know how to speak have to be present for visa interview as well?" Shao was quoted as saying by SCMP.
Consultant's view
Consultant calls new policy confusing
Mainland China makes up nearly a quarter of international students in the US, with over 277,000 enrolled last year, a number exceeded only by India, the Institute of International Education states. But last month, the US announced it will start "aggressively" revoking the visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or studying in critical fields. However, it was unclear what "connections" to the CCP meant or which "critical fields" it was referring to.