
Foreign Scientists Welcome, Sort Of
The age of globalized industry should result in fewer barriers between countries, but it is rarely that straightforward in practice. At the India?US Strategic Dialogue held in New Dehli on July 19, 2011, India?s junior science minister Ashwani Kumar complained to US presidential science adviser John Holdren that a new US visa policy is hampering the ability of Indian scientists to travel to the United States, according to a report by ScienceInsider. Kumar asked that the procedure be streamlined. Indian scientists, even top aides to the government, are now required to renew their visa annually, but they previously could obtain a multiple-entry visa every 5 to 10 years. This change makes it difficult for Indian scientists to attend conferences in the US or engage in any other frequent, short-duration travel without attending to yearly paperwork. ?I understand the visa issue is a problem and a challenge, and we hope to improve it,? said Holdren, according to ScienceInsider.
The age of globalized industry should result in fewer barriers between countries, but it is rarely that straightforward in practice. At the India–US Strategic Dialogue held in New Dehli on July 19, 2011, India’s junior science minister Ashwani Kumar complained to US presidential science adviser John Holdren that a new US visa policy is hampering the ability of Indian scientists to travel to the United States, according to a
The United Kingdom has also been busy erecting barriers to foreign scientists. On July 20, 2011, the UK border agency created a
Although the Royal Society agreed to work with the border agency on this initiative, it is not happy in its role as gatekeeper for immigrant scientists.
Newsletter
Stay at the forefront of biopharmaceutical innovation—subscribe to BioPharm International for expert insights on drug development, manufacturing, compliance, and more.