430  Touris Visa (or other visa) now required for Argentines Traveling to

Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 23:50:49 EST
From: "Lisa E. Battan" <Battanle@AOL.COM>
Subject: Touris Visa (or other visa) now required for Argentines Traveling to
U.S.

Dear All,

This may not seem to be about tango but because I am personally aware of many
tango dancers working in the U.S. using the visa waiver program and without a
proper work visa, I am posting this. This change will effect any upcoming
workshop you are organizing or attending where your dancers do not have a
proper visa.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that Argentines can no longer
use the visa waiver program (entering the U.S. as a tourist without a visa).
Instead, Argentines must obtain a tourist visa (or another appropriate type
of visa) from the U.S. consulate in Argentina prior to entering the U.S.
This is an emergency measure in response to the recent Argentine economic
crisis.

It will take the U.S. consulate in Buenos Aires some time to react to this
news. Thus, currently it is unclear how long it will take to apply for a
tourist visa, whether a personal interview will be required and whether it
will be difficult to get a visa. I suspect that a personal interview will be
required and that it will be difficult to get a tourist visa. In others
countries with economic problems the denial rate is as high as 95%. Also,
the U.S. government is aware of a large number of Argentines who have been
using the visa waiver program to enter the U.S. in order to work illegally or
to stay longer than 90 days.

At the least, Argentines who wish to apply for a tourist visa will be
expected to show that they intend to visit the U.S. for a short period of
time and that they will not work while they are here. This usually means
that the visa applicant must show that they have money available to them to
use while they are here. This could be quite difficult given the economic
situation and recent Argentine banking restrictions.

The website for the Buenos Aires Embassy website is
https://usembassy.state.gov/posts/ar1/wwwh0100.html. I hope that they will
keep the website up to date. At the least, they are one of the better
consulates in the world at answering their phone and responding promptly and
accurately to questions.

Sincerely,

Lisa




Lisa E. Battan
Lisa E. Battan, P.C.
2235 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 303.444.8668
Fax: 303.449.2656
battanle@aol.com
www.lawyers.com/battan