Finian McGrath
Question:421 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); and if the maximum support, advice and assistance can be given to this person. [19763/03]
Written Answers. - Visa Programme.
The J-1 visa programme is administered by the Department of Homeland Security in the United States. The Government has no involvement in the operation of the programme. However, as part of the Department's consular role to assist Irish citizens abroad, our embassy and consulates general in the United States monitor the situation of Irish J-1 visa holders closely and raise their concerns with the US authorities as necessary.
I am aware of the difficulties experienced by the individual to whom the Deputy refers and by many of the J-1 visitors arriving in the United States in 2003, in obtaining social security numbers. I understand that these problems were not unique to Irish citizens or to this category of visa, and were encountered by visa holders from other countries also. I am informed that they arose from new procedures introduced by the social security administration last year as part of a general tightening of the regulations that apply to immigrants in the United States following 11 September which required that confirmation of an applicant's immigration status be obtained from the Department of Homeland Security before a social security number could be issued. This led to delays in the issuing of social security numbers to J-1 visa holders.
The embassy in Washington on my instructions took up this matter with the US State Department. Following this intervention, the Department of Homeland Security undertook to devote additional staff resources to processing requests, and I understand that this did help to overcome the difficulties.
The US authorities indicated that J-1 visa holders do not require a social security number to begin work but that they must have applied for a social security number and obtained a letter from the relevant office to that effect before they can be paid. It is possible for employers to engage J-1 employees pending receipt of the actual number but it appears that many employers were not aware of this and, in the current economic and security climate, were reluctant to take on employees who did not have a valid social security number.
The US authorities also stressed that applications for the visa should be made in good time to allow for the relevant clearance to issue. The Irish organisations involved in this process have been made aware of this. I would like to take this opportunity to assure the Deputy that the Irish embassy will continue to follow up on this matter with a view to alleviating, as far as possible, any difficulties for the next year.