Georgetown: The Bureau of Consular Affairs in the United States says it continues to experience technical problems with its visa systems. “This is a global issue, and we are working around the clock to fix it. More than 100 computer experts from both the Private and Public Sectors across the United States are working on this problem 24/7. That said, we do not expect the system will be online before next week,” a release from the US Embassy here said.
According to the Embassy, the problems stems from a hardware failure in a State Department facility in the United States on June 9. That failure is preventing the Department from processing and transmitting biometric data checks at visa-issuing Embassies and Consulates. “We cannot bypass the legal requirements to screen visa applicants before we issue visas for travel. Each visa decision is a national security decision, and we take our obligation to protect the United States seriously.”
Meanwhile, the Embassy said for all applicants who were asked to pick up their visas on Friday, June 19, or Monday, June 22, please be advised not to come to the Embassy to get your visa.
“We cannot print visas at this time. We will provide additional guidance on pick-up times when systems are back online. Applicants are also encouraged to check the Consular Section’s Facebook page for updated information as it becomes available: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Consular-Section-US-Embassy-Georgetown/140095222235. We regret the inconvenience to travellers and recognise that this is causing hardship to those waiting for visas, and in some cases, their family members or employers in the United States. We will continue to post regular updates on our website, travel.state.gov.”
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