The U.S. Tightens Visa Regulations for Saudi Citizens

The U.S. State Department announced the cancellation of a controversial but accepted program that allowed Saudi citizens to apply for U.S. visas through national airline offices. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and its consulate in Jeddah announced that they will no longer accept third-party visa applications, and all Saudi citizens wishing to travel to the U.S. must now appear in person for interviews. Individuals over 70 and under 12 years old, as well as diplomats, are exempt from these strict regulations. A State Department spokesperson stated that extraordinary visas will no longer be issued, as misinformation has reinforced the perception that visas were being issued without careful scrutiny. According to the spokesperson, such reports undermine public trust, and embassy officials have always conducted thorough interviews with applicants. Many U.S. lawmakers criticized the extraordinary visa program, stating that proper care and diligence were not exercised when issuing visas to Saudi citizens, especially since 15 of the hijackers in the September 11 attacks were Saudi nationals, some of whom used U.S. visas. These criticisms led to the resignation of the Director of the State Department's Consular Affairs, Mary Ryan, last month. Some congressional representatives have called for the responsibility of visa issuance to be transferred from the State Department to the newly established Department of Homeland Security.