WASHINGTON: The US State Department is expected to lose US$98 million in visa revenues used to provide critical services to Americans abroad, due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Bureau of Consular Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ian Brownlee said during a congressional hearing.
“We anticipate a loss of 98 million dollars of visa revenues this year as a result of COVID-19 [novel coronavirus],” Brownlee told a House of Representatives foreign affairs subcommittee on Thursday, as reported by Sputnik news agency.
Brownlee said the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs provides Americans abroad with emergency services. However, the bureau’s operations are funded in most part by fees such as from visa applicants.
Brownlee asked Congress to provide the bureau with additional funding to fill the void of lost visa revenue in order to maintain critical services for Americans overseas. – Bernama
