Irish government watching J1 visa situation 'closely' but says applications are still open
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs has said that while it is 'aware of reports' that the US has instructed its diplomatic missions to pause appointments for interviews in certain visa categories, including J1 student visas, it understands that existing appointments in Ireland haven't been cancelled.
A spokesperson told
The Journal
that it further understands that new J1 visa applications can still be submitted.
They added that DFA officials have been in contact with the US embassy on this matter, in order to 'assess possible impact on our citizens, in particular on students planning to travel in the coming months.'
'We will continue to monitor this unfolding situation very closely,' the DFA spokesperson added.
They further said that it is important to note that US immigration policy 'is a matter for the US authorities'.
Roughly 5,000 Irish students avail of the J1 visa programme every summer.
Speaking on RTÉ' Radio One's Morning Ireland this morning, Michael Doorley, the owner of the Sayit Travel agency, said that Irish students who have already received their J1 visas for the United States should not be impacted.
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He added that he has spoken to students currently in the US, who haven't experienced any issues.
Doorley said that 'practically all' of the students intending to travel to the US this summer are already through, so this pause on interviews won't have a big impact on students this year.
It's been reported that US embassies around the world have been told that social media vetting for student and foreign exchange visa applicants will be ramped up.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that guidance is to be issued on the screening process, and that interviews should be halted until a review on how this process will work has been completed.
Doorley today said that his travel agency is issuing advice to students for the first time about their social media use while in the US.
He said that if students have a 'history on their mobile phones, of some, maybe, social activity that wouldn't please the American situation, just delete it or whatever.'
Doorley added that students are vital to the tourism sector in many places in America and highly valued by employers.
Trinity College said that it will be in contact with any students travelling to study in the US in the coming autumn, and will offer meetings with them to discuss any concerns they may have.
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