As part of AmChams in Europe U.S. Week: Washington DC Virtual Outreach, an online meeting with the White House National Security Council was held on May 12. Following the meeting, a memo was created outlining the business impact of visa processing delays across Europe.

The current pandemic has affected the ability to travel across the Atlantic, however, many of our member companies have expressed concern that the current limitations in the processing of visas for business and academic travel to the U.S. go beyond the COVID-19 related travel restrictions currently in place.

We welcome the recent announcement by the U.S. Secretary of State about expanding National Interest Exceptions (NIE) to facilitate travel for citizens in the Schengen Area, United Kingdom and Ireland. As a result, travelers from those areas who seek to provide vital support or executive direction for critical infrastructure, and those traveling to provide vital support or executive direction for significant economic activity in the U.S., may now qualify for NIEs.

More than 60 representatives from 35 AmChams in 33 countries took part in the virtual outreach to meet relevant stakeholders from key government agencies and private organizations to discuss the transatlantic relations and partnership.