456
sively recruiting students to take advantage of 
changed perceptions of the United States. 
(7) If the United States is to regain its com-
petitive advantage in attracting foreign students and 
exchange visitors, it will be essential for the Depart-
ment of State to work to ensure that new visa proce-
dures are administered in the most efficient and 
user-friendly possible manner. Furthermore the De-
partment must continue to engage in public outreach 
designed to dispel negative perceptions about study 
in the United States. 
SEC. 1303. DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE STRAT-
EGY TO ATTRACT FOREIGN STUDENTS TO 
STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, the Secretary of Education, and the 
Secretary of Commerce, shall develop a comprehensive 
strategy to counter widespread perceptions among foreign 
students that the United States no longer welcomes them 
to study in the United States or to participate in exchange 
programs, and to increase applications by foreign students 
to come to the United States for study and exchange. Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
457
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a written account of this strat-
egy. 
(b) CONSULTATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS.—Begin-
ning not later than 180 days after date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall undertake annual 
consultations with individuals and organizations involved 
in international education, including consultations with 
nongovernmental institutions concerned with the recruit-
ment of foreign students to the United States; officials 
from United States educational institutions concerned 
with the recruitment of foreign students, foreign student 
representatives, 
nongovernmental 
organizations 
des-
ignated by the Department of State as sponsors in the 
Exchange Visitor Program, and other concerned parties 
for the purpose of discussing and seeking input on the 
development of the comprehensive strategy described in 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 1304. IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITY MISSIONS AND 
MISSIONS EMPLOYING BEST PRACTICES FOR 
ATTRACTING STUDENT VISA APPLICANTS. 
(a) REVIEW OF STUDENT VISA APPLICATIONS.—The 
Secretary of State shall review the application and 
issuance rates for F–1 and J–1 nonimmigrant visas 
(issued under subparagraphs (F) and (J) of section
458
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) at every diplomatic or consular mis-
sion of the United States providing consular services. Such 
review shall encompass the five-year period immediately 
preceding the date of the enactment of this Act and shall 
be used to identify missions that have experienced signifi-
cant declines in such visa applications, the issuance of 
such visas, or both, and shall also identify diplomatic or 
consular missions that have experienced recovery in the 
rate of such applications or such issuances after experi-
encing significant declines in such applications, such 
issuances, or both. 
(b) OBTAINING INFORMATION ON BEST PRACTICES 
FOR GAINING INCREASES.—Upon identifying diplomatic 
or consular missions that have experienced recoveries in 
the rates of such visa applications, issuances, or both, the 
Secretary shall direct the chiefs of mission of such mis-
sions to submit to the Secretary a report concerning con-
sular, public diplomacy, public outreach, or other practices 
that may have contributed to such recoveries. 
(c) CORRECTIVE MEASURES.—Upon identifying dip-
lomatic or consular missions in key foreign policy coun-
tries that have suffered significant declines in the rates 
of such applications, issuances, or both without experi-
encing recovery in either or both of such rates in accord-
459
ance with the review required under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall direct the chiefs of mission of such mis-
sions to develop a plan appropriate to each such mission 
to attract additional F–1 and J–1 visa applicants and to 
address any inefficiencies in processing visa applications 
specific to each such mission. 
(d) REPORT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and one 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the ap-
propriate congressional committees a report con-
cerning trends in the application and issuance rates 
for F–1 and J–1 visas at all diplomatic and consular 
missions of the United States providing consular 
services. 
(2) REPORT ELEMENTS.—
(A) 
STATISTICAL
INFORMATION.—The 
first report submitted pursuant to this section 
shall contain data from the five-year period im-
mediately preceding the date of the enactment 
of this Act. The second report shall contain up-
dated data covering the calendar year preceding 
the issuance of the report and comparisons with 
previous data.
460
(B) BEST PRACTICES.—Each report shall 
contain a ‘‘Best Practices’’ section identifying 
diplomatic or consular missions that have expe-
rienced a recovery in the rates of such applica-
tions, such issuances, or both after experiencing 
declines in the rates for such applications, such 
issuances, or both. For each diplomatic or con-
sular mission so identified, the report shall in-
clude post activities that may have contributed 
to such recovery. 
(C) PRIORITY POSTS.—Each report shall 
also contain a section entitled ‘‘Priority Posts’’ 
that identifies critical diplomatic and consular 
missions from key foreign policy countries that 
have experienced declines in the rates of such 
applications, such issuances, or both without ex-
periencing a significant recovery in any of such 
rates. For each diplomatic or consular mission 
so identified, the report shall contain an action 
plan that describes new initiatives, such as con-
sular services, public diplomacy, and public out-
reach, that are designed to improve the rates of 
such applications and such issuances.