sensitive areas of study
Students who are considered to be majoring in “sensitive areas of study” as determined by the U.S. Government may also be required to undergo security clearances before a visa can be issued.
There is a document called the Technology Alert List that visa officers consult for this purpose.
China, India, Israel, Pakistan, and Russia have received special mention by the U.S. State Department in the context of this list because these countries are considered to possess nuclear capability that is of concern to U.S. national security.
But even is you are not a citizen of one of the countries listed above, your field of study (especially if you are a doctoral students majoring in the sciences, technology, computer science or engineering” might require your visa application to undergo a security clearance regardless of the country you are from. Such clearances can add as much as 4 to 8 weeks to the amount of time needed for visa approval. There are 15 broad subject areas listed on the Technology Alert List, with detailed specializations within each broad area. We have posted the Technology Alert List on the ISSS website.
If you find that your visa application is delayed due to a need for the consulate or embassy to send your file for review based on your field of study, please notify the CIP by email, fax or telephone of the situation.
