JEDDAH, 16 December 2005 — With a week remaining for students to submit their applications to study abroad next semester, and the visa section at the US Consulate in Jeddah closed since Nov. 13 due to security concerns, many students face postponing their studies abroad.
“I’m afraid I’m going to lose my scholarship,” said Mohammed Ali. “How am I going to enroll on time if they usually take around two weeks and I was given a late appointment?”
Ali has postponed his plans to study abroad until March 20. He has received an appointment date with the US Embassy in Riyadh for March 17. Like Ali, many Saudi students face postponing their studies.
“We are approaching Christmas and it is going to be a holiday for both the consulate and the embassy,” said a father of two students who were applying to study in the US. “Why did they open the door for this large number if they cannot manage it?”
Saudis in the United States have also been affected.
Abu Malek, who has not seen his family for over three years, said that he wants to visit but that he is afraid he will not be able to return due to the closure of the consulate.
“Saudis should be patient and plan well ahead when applying for US visas,” said US Ambassador James C. Oberwetter during a press conference last week in Riyadh.
He said the problem is that the process of evaluation takes two weeks after submissions. He pointed out that there has been an increase in the total number of visas issued to Saudis, from 16,004 in 2004 to 27,657 so far this year.
The ambassador said Saudi students who have not already received their visas for the spring 2006 academic semester would have to postpone their studies abroad until the following semester.
The US Embassy had no further comment on the ambassador’s statements.
A source at the Ministry of Higher Education told Arab News that visa sections of the US mission in Saudi Arabia would reopen within a week or two.
He added that more scholarships would be offered to Saudi youths so they can reapply for the following semester abroad — in the US or elsewhere.
