The US Department of State recently announced that it is developing the capability to issue Digital Visa Authorisations (DVA) in place of traditional visas that are printed and placed in applicants’ passports. This development would streamline the travel authorisation process by automating the transfer of data from the visa application to airline screening, border inspection and admission to the US. Following unprecedented visa interview backlogs at U.S. consulates in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DVA pilot programme appears to be part of a broader effort to develop a secure system for the electronic issuance and validation of U.S. travel documents.
The initial proof of concept for the DVA technology is currently being tested with K-1 (fiancé(e)) visas at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, Ireland. K-1 visas were chosen because they are single-entry visas. In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin was selected in part because of the presence of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance procedures at Dublin Airport. In addition, many of the airlines operating direct flights from Dublin to the United States are already enrolled in CBP’s document validation programme. The State Department has indicated that it intends to offer DVA for other visa classes and additional consulates in the future, provided that the initial proof of concept is successful.
Once implemented, the DVA would likely improve the efficiency and security of the US visa application process. For example, because the DVA would not need to be physically placed in a traveller’s passport, it could reduce the number of visa applicants required to attend consular interviews. In addition, the issuance of a DVA would automatically transmit a traveller’s information to CBP. This would allow CBP to digitally notify airlines whether a person has valid travel documents prior to boarding. The DVA would potentially allow for greater automation while reducing the risk of error to promote safe and secure international travel.
