U.S. SUSPENDS ALL VISA SERVICES

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With the virus spreading fast in the U.S., the American government decided to restrict entries by suspending all visa services. Korean students looking to study in the United States are confused as the U.S. Embassy in Korea stopped issuing visas today.

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The U.S. Embassy in Korea announced that it will suspend all visa services starting March 19th. All visa interviews were cancelled. This is a first for the American embassy since it was established in Korea. The U.S. State Department announced that in order to stop the spread of COVID-19, the government is suspending all routine visa services in countries with travel advisory level 2, 3, or 4. This measure is enforced not only in Korea, but in numerous other countries including Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, and France. Some 74-thousand Koreans received new U.S. visas last year. Students accounted for the largest portion with 23-thousand followed by 14-thousand visas for business trips and 13-thousand for language and cultural exchange programs. The measure will cause immense confusion and inconvenience for those who were preparing for a long-term stay in the states for study or work.

[Soundbite] KIM TAE-WAN(ASST. DIRECTOR, STUDY-ABROAD INSTITUTE) : "Students who can't start school in the year they want must be very anxious."

However, the U.S. Embassy confirmed, the visas already issued will remain valid. Also, it's possible to obtain a visa in urgent cases like medical treatment. The Embassy pointed out, short-term visits are not restricted as ESTA or the 90-day no-visa program is still maintained. The State Department plans to review the resumption of routine visa services once the viral spread slows down.