*Over 5,000 Visas Issued in the Past Year for Travel to the United States
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam has issued more than 5,000 non-immigrant visas during the past twelve months. U.S. Embassies worldwide report visa issuance according to the United States Government’s fiscal year which ends September 30.
This is a record number of visa issuances since 2001. In the intervening years, visa demand fell dramatically. In 2004, with fewer applicants seeking visas, issuances hit a record low of less than 3,900 visas issued. It is only in the last two years that the numbers of visa seekers has increased, boosting the number of visa applications up by 36 percent.
“We are already over 5000," reported Consular Section Chief, Robert Hannan. “As of today, we are above 5,200 visas and expect to issue a total of more than 5,300 by the end of this month. That number of issuances will top the total for 2001 and set the record for the most visas issued in a single year in the history of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.”
The Embassy views the record-breaking visa performance as only one sign of the ever increasing contact and business transactions between the United States and Tanzania. The highest profile travelers between our two nations have been President Jakaya Kikwete, who has visited the U.S. four times in the past year, and President George W. Bush who visited Tanzania last February. When President Bush arrived here on February 16, it was the first-ever official visit by a sitting U.S. president. His two-city, four-day, three-night stay was also the longest presidential visit to a single African country.
Visa issuance numbers actually understate the increased contact between the people of the United States of America and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania. Last year, the Tanzanian government achieved better visa reciprocal visa treatment for its citizens. For both American and Tanzanian travelers, the standard visa validity increased from three to twelve months. Prior to last year, many travelers who made multiple trips would have accounted for multiple visa issuances. Now, those travelers are only counted once: their multiple entry 12-month visas allow them several trips to the U.S. without the need for obtaining a new visa each time they intend on traveling. Therefore, the total increase is due more to a rise in first-time travelers going to the United States.
The U.S. Embassy would like to stress that there is no quota on visas issued to tourists, students, or businesspersons. The U.S. Consular Section will issue as many visas as necessary to meet the demand for legitimate travelers. As always, we encourage potential travelers to apply well advance of any expected travel. “Now that we have the 12-month visa, there is no reason to wait until the last minute to make a visa appointment and submit an application. Travelers should apply as soon as they think they will be traveling – even if it is months in advance of the departure date,” advised Mr. Hannan.
For more information, or to learn more about the non-immigrant visa application process, please visit us at our website: http://tanzania.usembassy.gov.
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam has issued more than 5,000 non-immigrant visas during the past twelve months. U.S. Embassies worldwide report visa issuance according to the United States Government’s fiscal year which ends September 30.
This is a record number of visa issuances since 2001. In the intervening years, visa demand fell dramatically. In 2004, with fewer applicants seeking visas, issuances hit a record low of less than 3,900 visas issued. It is only in the last two years that the numbers of visa seekers has increased, boosting the number of visa applications up by 36 percent.
“We are already over 5000," reported Consular Section Chief, Robert Hannan. “As of today, we are above 5,200 visas and expect to issue a total of more than 5,300 by the end of this month. That number of issuances will top the total for 2001 and set the record for the most visas issued in a single year in the history of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.”
The Embassy views the record-breaking visa performance as only one sign of the ever increasing contact and business transactions between the United States and Tanzania. The highest profile travelers between our two nations have been President Jakaya Kikwete, who has visited the U.S. four times in the past year, and President George W. Bush who visited Tanzania last February. When President Bush arrived here on February 16, it was the first-ever official visit by a sitting U.S. president. His two-city, four-day, three-night stay was also the longest presidential visit to a single African country.
Visa issuance numbers actually understate the increased contact between the people of the United States of America and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania. Last year, the Tanzanian government achieved better visa reciprocal visa treatment for its citizens. For both American and Tanzanian travelers, the standard visa validity increased from three to twelve months. Prior to last year, many travelers who made multiple trips would have accounted for multiple visa issuances. Now, those travelers are only counted once: their multiple entry 12-month visas allow them several trips to the U.S. without the need for obtaining a new visa each time they intend on traveling. Therefore, the total increase is due more to a rise in first-time travelers going to the United States.
The U.S. Embassy would like to stress that there is no quota on visas issued to tourists, students, or businesspersons. The U.S. Consular Section will issue as many visas as necessary to meet the demand for legitimate travelers. As always, we encourage potential travelers to apply well advance of any expected travel. “Now that we have the 12-month visa, there is no reason to wait until the last minute to make a visa appointment and submit an application. Travelers should apply as soon as they think they will be traveling – even if it is months in advance of the departure date,” advised Mr. Hannan.
For more information, or to learn more about the non-immigrant visa application process, please visit us at our website: http://tanzania.usembassy.gov.
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