Beijing issued an official warning on Monday telling students planning to head to the US they should think twice and exercise caution before applying for a visa to the US.
China’s Education Ministry has reportedly urged Chinese students and academics to “undertake risk assessment” before they try to get visas from the US Embassy and consulates in China.
The move follows a recent spike in unexplained visa delays and denials that left many distraught as their trips and flights booked beforehand had been affected.
State broadcaster China Central Television also quoted the ministry as saying that many Chinese students already in the US have also had their visas restricted or renewal delayed or even rejected.
The warning comes hot on the heels of news that the US State Department has started to request that almost all immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants must provide their social media accounts – on WeChat, QQ, Weibo, etc, for Chinese applicants – for additional vetting.
The State Department says it has updated its visa forms to request the additional information, including “social-media identifiers” from almost all applicants. The change, which was proposed in March 2018, is expected to affect about 15 million foreigners who apply for visas to enter the US each year, according to The Associated Press.
Education consultant agencies in China are now reminding applicants to check what they have said and shared on social media, especially about sensitive topics like gun control and religion, before handing in visa applications.
Applicants will also need to provide their travel history from the past five years to the US and elsewhere, as well as information about their parents such as occupation and religious background. Some netizens have joked that the latest move is tantamount to censorship and prosecution when the US continues to tout freedom of speech.
The extra red tape being applied by the State Department may further slow down visa approvals for Chinese students, when applications have already hit the US Embassy in Beijing and consulates across China, while students have to be in the US by September, before the start of the new academic year.
US has 370,000 Chinese students
China is the largest source of international students in the US, accounting for nearly a third of the total, according to the latest statistics from the US Department of Homeland Security.
The number of Chinese students in the US stood at almost 370,000 as of March, larger than the total population of many US cities, and about eight in ten Chinese students are enrolled in higher education institutions. Chinese students and their spending power have been a pillar supporting the operations and economy of US universities and colleges and many cities that house them.
But so far the deteriorating ties between the two superpowers – seen in tit-for-tat tariffs and intensified rivalry in tech and military projects – have yet to spill over and stem the still robust flow of Chinese pupils to tertiary institutions in the US.
Well-off Chinese parents, especially government officials and businesspeople, while repeating Beijing’s patriotic platitudes in public and in cyber domain, may still choose the US for their kids, either for better education or employment or even emigration opportunities. An English-speaking environment, top-tier universities and rule of law are cited among the key factors that woo them.
A survey by China’s largest private education provider, New Oriental, found that 43% of respondents ranked the US as their top choice in 2019, compared with 49% two years ago. But there is also an emerging trend among prospective Chinese students that now favors the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as Singapore and Hong Kong in Asia.
Read more:
Beijing papers suggest US cities ‘more dangerous than Xinjiang’
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is fantastic blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
Hello there, You’ve done an incredible job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I’m confident they’ll be benefited from this website.
Great blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can benefit me. Thank you
Hello, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boringK I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
I precisely wished to thank you very much once more. I do not know the things I would have undertaken without those advice provided by you about that area. It previously was a real terrifying dilemma for me, however , noticing the skilled technique you managed that took me to cry with contentment. Now i am grateful for your service and as well , hope that you find out what a powerful job you’re putting in training many people thru a web site. I am certain you’ve never got to know any of us.
I just could not go away your site before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the usual information an individual supply to your visitors? Is going to be again continuously in order to check up on new posts
I have been surfing online greater than three hours today, but I by no means found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty value enough for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made just right content as you probably did, the net will likely be a lot more useful than ever before. “I think that maybe if women and children were in charge we would get somewhere.” by James Grover Thurber.
F*ckin¦ remarkable things here. I¦m very happy to peer your article. Thank you so much and i am taking a look forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?
Excellent blog here! Also your website loads up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol
There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
I keep listening to the news lecture about getting free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the most excellent site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i find some?
Great blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you recommend starting with a free platform like Wordpress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused .. Any ideas? Many thanks!
Hey there, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, terrific blog!
Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
Some really fantastic articles on this web site, regards for contribution.
I love your blog. It looks every informative.
Some genuinely nice stuff on this website , I love it.
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂