Visa backlogs grow for foreign scientists, students. (Security Beat).

Two new antiterrorism laws are creating unreasonable backlogs and I delays for foreign scientists and students seeking to enter the United States, said Albert Teich, director of science and policy programs for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Nearly a third of all doctoral degrees awarded in this country each year go to foreign nationals, Teich said. Most of them remain in the United States after completing their studies, making "an enormous contribution to U.S. science and technology," he said. "More than a third of U.S. Nobel Laureates are foreign born."

Before passage of the two laws--the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002--it generally took a foreign student no longer than 30 days to get a visa. Today, visa applications from 26 Arab and Muslim nations are required to receive special FBI security checks before approval, no matter how long it might take, Teich said. Since last summer, consular officers have been applying this procedure to applicants from many countries beyond the 26, including China, he said.