Student Visa Application in U.S

1) The number of foreign students applying for visas to study in the United States has fallen sharply since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

2) U.S. policies regarding student visas were revised following the attacks. The new policies require student visa applicants overseas to agree to multiple interviews and submit to fingerprinting.

3) But U.S. officials are trying to reverse that trend by streamlining the approval process and assuring foreign students they are welcome to study here.

4) More than 350 new consular officers have been hired since 2002, and U.S. embassies and consulates have been ordered to expedite student visa applications.

5) About 560,000 applications were filed in 2004. That is down by about 100,000 from a few years ago. Officials hope efforts to improve the visa application system will result in an increase in the number of scholars from overseas.