National Postdoctoral Association

June 11, 2009

NPA Endorses Statement and Recommendations on Visa Issues

The NPA joined 30 higher education and scientific associations to endorse a statement of recommendations to the U.S. State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In the statement, the associations recommended eight action steps to make the processing of visas for visiting scientists, engineers and scholars quicker and more reliable. The press release and letter are available at: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2009/0611visa.shtml.

June 4, 2009

Shorter Visa Delays for Foreign Students & Researchers

The U.S. Government has implemented several changes to the visa process for foreign students and researchers. The new changes will shorten the visa process from several months to 2 weeks.  Read more at: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/06/us-speeds-up-vi.html.

March 30, 2009

New Bill Removes Limitations and Grants Permit Residence to Select Visa Holders

On March 30, 2009, Representative Jeff Flake introduced bill H.R. 1791, the Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s From Leaving the Economy (STAPLE) Act of 2009. The bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act "to authorize certain aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence and to be exempted from the numerical limitations on H-1B nonimmigrants" (H.R. 1791).  For more details about the bill and to follow its progress in the U.S. Congress, visit http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1791/show.