Tourist Visas Without Interviews: Playing with Fire



President Obama has already forgotten a key lesson inflicted on the nation by the 9-11 terrorists. The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia decided it would be more efficient and promote travel to the United States if it stopped requiring visa applicants to come to the consular section of the embassy for an in-person interview. As a result 13 of the 19 terrorists obtained their visas easily in that country even though in some instances the applications were not even complete. This program was termed “Visa Express.”

President Obama, in his January 19 speech at Disney World, outlined a program similar to Visa Express. He wants to reduce the visa interview requirement in countries where they are still required. While he mentioned the need to keep national security in mind, he called for a major increase in the number of visas issued by decreasing the number of interviews and speeding up the interviews that were still required. These recommendations are a throwback to a pre-9-11 mentality of giving priority to the number of visas issued while downplaying grounds of ineligibility – whether because of a threat to our security or a threat to U.S. jobs sought by foreign workers. This policy makes no sense in light of the 9-11 terrorist attacks and it is foolhardy as the Obama administration dismantles interior enforcement against illegal alien workers unless they commit a major crime.

About Author

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Jack, who joined FAIR’s National Board of Advisors in 2017, is a retired U.S. diplomat with consular experience. He has testified before the U.S. Congress, U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform and has authored studies of immigration issues. His national and international print, TV, and talk radio experience is extensive (including in Spanish).

6 Comments

  1. avatar
    Viet Nam Vet 67-68 on

    Here we have an Illegal Ignorant Radical Muslim Communist President Obamination letting more Militant Muslims in our Country. We now know without a doubt that he is Illegal yet Congress does nothing while we as a Nation go down in flames, I believe we are within a week or two from having to remove him ourselves otherwise we will not have a Country.

  2. avatar

    Obama has NOT “forgotten 9/11”, he is simply ignoring it so he can have more of his friends come into the country and repeat their acts. That way he can then declare that “the enemy is among us” and call martial law to “protect” Americans from these people.
    God help us if this disgusting piece of what comes out of the back end of a bull is re-elected.

    • avatar
      Viet Nam Vet 67-68 on

      It’s called armed Revolution that is why our Founding Fathers left us with the 2nd Amendment for an out of Control Government.

  3. avatar

    Right on bsfurg, he want more and more muslims so they can take over the US like they have other countries. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ http://frontpagemag.com/2012/01/31/justice-served-in-ontario-honor-murder/ and remember this is an election year and obama will lie and then lie some more. We are paying twice to 3 times for gas now, our homes have loss value, jobs are in the tank, obama is giving foreign countries defense contract instead of Americans companies and the list just goes on and on.

  4. avatar

    he wants to fill the USA wilth muslims Mich is getting lots of them and we all ready had 4 hundred thousand… I widh he would fall in that hole hes digging NOW