By Jieying Ding

The U.S. government agreed to extend short-term business and tourist visas from one year to ten years to Chinese citizens, announced by Obama at the APEC Summit in Beijing last month. The underlying motivation is economic, according to the U.S. News. Statistics have shown that 1.8 million Chinese tourists visited the U.S. in 2013, generating $21.1 billion for the U.S. economy. The White House believes that the new rules will improve trade, investment and business ties by facilitating travel and offering easier access to both economies.

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January 29, 2015

By Julie Inglese

Mondoweiss has reported an increase in the denial of visa requests from Israeli youth, military, and intelligence officials when attempting to enter the United States.

The State Department has begun implementing recommendations contained in a 2011 Inspector General’s report dealing with the Leahy Amendment. The “US legislation requires the mission to vet Israeli military personnel who train with US counterparts to make sure they have not committed human rights abuse.” The recent enforcement of the legislation may be why Israeli’s are being denied visas.

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April 01, 2014

By Elizabeth Gibson

The United States is using P-1A visas intended for "internationally recognized athletes" as a way to open its borders to professional video game players (yes, that's a thing). These visas are traditionally used for getting athletes to sporting events hosted in the United States.

NPR has a fascinating story on the immigration concerns of virtual athletes. But don't count on your gaming system getting you across the border just yet. So far, the issuance of P-1A visas to gamers appears relatively limited, with one visa granted to a professional South Korean StarCraft player and another granted to a Canadian League of Legends pro.

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December 16, 2013