In rare move, Trump eases visa process but only for FIFA ticket holders
The Trump administration on Monday unveiled a new initiative aimed at streamlining the visa process for international travelers attending the World Cup next year.
Dubbed "FIFA Pass," the system is designed to balance President Donald Trump's strict stance on migration with the high demand expected for the mammoth soccer tournament.
The "pass," which stands for "prioritized appointments scheduling system,” allows foreigners who have purchased World Cup tickets through FIFA to receive expedited visa interview appointments.
Under the new priority system, ticket holders who purchased through FIFA will use a dedicated "FIFA portal." This portal prioritizes visa application processing and interview scheduling within the State Department's system.
This measure is intended to ensure timely entry for hundreds of thousands of fans.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino touted Trump’s efforts to ensure the success of the World Cup.
“You said it the very first time we met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world,” Infantino said.
Over 400 additional consular officers will be deployed globally to manage the demand, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He made it clear, however, that security vetting would not be compromised.
“We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get,” Rubio said. “The only difference here is, we’re moving them up in the queue.”
The 104 games next year will be hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the US.
While there will be laxer processes, Trump issued a stern warning concerning host cities.
Citing the election of progressive activist Katie Wilson as mayor of Seattle, Trump floated the idea of moving games if he deemed the city unsafe.
“If we think there’s gonna be a sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni to move that to a different city,” he said.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
