Refusal rate of visas for Chinese citizens reportedly rising
The U.S. Embassy in China said on Wednesday its visa policy on Chinese students and tourists remain unchanged although it reserves the right to limit visas on a case-by-case basis.
A report published by Radio France Internationale (RFI) on Monday said amid China-U.S. trade friction the refusal rate of visas for Chinese citizens to the U.S. has risen sharply and U.S. Customs has also tightened the inspection of Chinese people.
The report said the U.S. Embassy in Beijing has turned down visa applications from Chinese researchers.
In response to the report, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Beijing told the Global Times via email on Wednesday that the U.S. visa policies are unchanged. The maximum length of a U.S. student visa for Chinese nationals is 5 years and 10 years for a U.S. tourist visa for Chinese, said the email.
"As always, although the large majority of visa applicants receive full validity visas, consular officers reserve the right to limit visas on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate to the specific case," the spokesperson wrote in the email.
On October 2, the Financial Times revealed that earlier this year, the Trump administration, influenced by White House hawk Stephen Miller, had seriously considered a ban on student visas for Chinese nationals out of concern that Chinese students may carry out theft intellectual property in the U.S..
The news sparked concerns among Chinese parents who plan to send their children to the U.S. that the visa process may become tougher.
