Call for Stories: Visa Wait Time Impact on Association Meetings

ASAE needs your help to bring attention to the problem of excessive wait times to receive a visitor visa to enter the United States and the impact on association meetings.

ASAE has joined the U.S. Travel Association’s “They Wait, We Lose” campaign to bring attention to the millions of travelers who seek to visit the U.S. but confront 400-800 day wait times to receive a visitor visa from the State Department. USVisaDelays.com features the voices of global travelers and U.S. businesses affected by the visitor visa wait times.

The U.S. Travel Association estimates the U.S. will lose nearly 7 million potential visitors and $12 billion in projected spending due to excessive wait times. The State Department has reportedly made progress in several visa categories, but B-1 and B-2 visitor visas remain backlogged. In 2019, roughly 35 million international visitors and $120 billion in spending in the U.S. travel market came from countries where a visa is required to enter the U.S. Brazil, India and Mexico are three of the top inbound markets that accounted for about 63% of these visitors.

Send your story along with your name and contact information to PowerofAssociations@asaecenter.org.