According to Consul General to Spain, Berenice Mariscal, the U.S. Embassy is prioritizing student travel this summer. The Embassy has created thousands of additional visa appointments for students wishing to study in the United States this summer or the upcoming academic year. Mariscal announced it is now possible for students to apply for their visas up to one year prior to the start of their academic program provided they have the documentation from their school. She also announced the acceptance of visa renewals by mail for students continuing on the same program.
In the words of the Consul General: “Our goal is that all students and exchange program participants arrive to their programs on time. To this end, we ask them to prepare now and not to wait until the last minute and schedule their visa appointment as soon as possible.”