Archives

WASHINGTON, July 2 (AFP) - The US Immigration and Naturalization Service has implemented an Internet-based tracking system to monitor foreign students and more easily catch those who violate their visas, officials said Tuesday.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, which started operating Monday, is part of Washington's effort to boost surveillance of visitors to the United States. Schools hosting foreign students are required to enroll in the system by January 30, forcing them to prove they are able to provide the education those students entered the United States to receive.

"SEVIS promises to revolutionize the way information about foreign students is shared between schools and the INS," INS Commissioner James Ziglar said.

Some 660,000 foreigners held visas to study in the United States last year, and many are able to elude efforts to police their activities.

Earlier this year, US lawmakers mandated better tracking by 2005 of the 35 million foreign visitors who land in the United States annually, in the wake of deadly terror attacks September 11 by Islamist militants who entered the United States legally. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager