15 June 2005
U.S. Extends Visa Terms for Chinese Students, Exchange Visitors
Maximum validity will increase to 12 months, State Department says
The United States will increase the maximum validity period for three categories of visas issued to Chinese citizens, according to a June 15 announcement from the State Department.
Beginning June 20, student (F-1) visas, exchange visitor (J-1) visas and vocational training (M-1) visas will be issued to eligible Chinese nationals for periods of up to 12 months and for multiple entries, the announcement said. The previous maximum validity was six months with multiple entries.
The two countries agreed to a reciprocal arrangement whereby each extends the same terms to the other's citizens.
Eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis, the announcement said. Both sides reserve the right to limit periods of validity and number of entries as required by law and regulation.
Following is the full text of the announcement:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 15, 2005
MEDIA NOTE
U.S. Extends Visa Validity for Chinese Students and Exchange Visitors
Beginning June 20, 2005, eligible Chinese nationals who wish to study in the United States temporarily as students (F-1), exchange visitors (J-1), or to undertake vocational training (M-1) will be issued visas that are valid for 12 months and multiple entries. The previous maximum validity for U.S. visas issued for these purposes was six months and for multiple entries.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also agreed to reciprocally issue to U.S. citizens visiting China temporarily as students, exchange visitors or vocational students, visas valid for 12 months and multiple entries.
While the United States and China will in principle issue maximum validity visas to each other's citizens, on a case-by-case basis, each side may limit the period of validity and number of entries as required by law and regulation.
Family members or persons deriving status from the primary student or exchange visitor, receiving F-2, J-2, or M-2 visas, will also be eligible for multiple-entry 12-month validity visas.
The mutual extension of visa reciprocity will be a significant benefit to student and exchange travelers between China and the United States and help facilitate educational exchanges between the two countries. In addition, American citizen students in China will save time and money with longer visa validity. Chinese students studying in the United States receiving longer validity visas will need to visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in China less often to renew visas, freeing embassy and consulate resources to adjudicate other visa applications more quickly.
In 2003, the United States issued 21,786 student and exchange visitor visas (F-1, J-1 and M-1 visa categories) to Chinese nationals. In 2004, the United States issued 25,647 student and exchange visitor visas to Chinese nationals.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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