A bipartisan bill under consideration in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee would improve visa processing by reducing the need to mail physical copies of documents that are already submitted electronically, easing the burden on applicants and saving the U.S. State Department time and resources.
Specifically, the Visa Processing Improvement and Paperwork Reduction Act, H.R. 9545, which U.S. Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) introduced Sept. 11, would provide for the electronic submission of domestic violence information and communications with visa applicants, according to the bill’s text.
“We have an opportunity to both improve government efficiency and reduce the burden on individuals navigating our complex immigration system,” said Salazar, who sponsored the measure. “The Visa Processing Improvement and Paperwork Reduction Act will save the State Department tons of time and money so they can process visa applications quicker and easier.”
Currently, the lawmakers say the nation’s visa application and processing systems are outdated, duplicative, and waste crucial resources.
If enacted, H.R. 9545 would retain federal communications about visa applications online, and would reduce requirements on families to mail physical copies of documents that have already been submitted online.
The bill also would eliminate the requirement to mail all signed communications from the applicant and from the agency that are already sent electronically, according to a bill summary provided by the members.
“Excessive visa wait times have long plagued our broken immigration system, causing unnecessary heartache for many applicants,” said bill cosponsor Kamlager-Dove. “Digitizing more aspects of the visa application process will eliminate redundant paperwork, speeding up visa processing times and reducing burdens on applicants.
“Simple reforms like this legislation can have outsized impacts on the immigration process,” she added.