U.S. tightens visa process for Saudis

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday directed its two visa-issuing posts in Saudi Arabia -- in Riyadh and Jedda -- to receive all visa applications directly "and to begin immediately to interview virtually all visa applicants."

A State Department spokeswoman said that, beginning Saturday morning, "in Saudi Arabia, the embassy will no longer accept visa applications forwarded from third parties."

Fifteen of the 19 September 11 hijackers lwere granted their visas in Saudi Arabia and are considered "possible Saudi nationals" by the FBI.

Previously, U.S. diplomatic posts in the Gulf kingdom allowed travel agencies to accept visa applications and forward them to the Riyadh and Jedda posts. Not all applicants had to be interviewed. Both actions have been widely criticized by congressional lawmakers, some of whom want to strip the visa-issuing responsibility from the State Department and give it to the Department of Homeland Security proposed by President Bush.

State Department officials said travel agencies were never involved in deciding who was granted a visa.

The spokeswoman said the move is aimed at bolstering public confidence in the visa-issuing system.

"The security of our borders and safety of American citizens at home and abroad is the No. 1 priority of the State Department and the entire U.S. government," she said.

"Our goal is to make sure the visa-issuance process is as secure as possible and supports our overall counter-terrorism efforts, taking into account all intelligence and law enforcement information available to the U.S. government so that, in addition to the INS check and review at border and taking advantage of enhanced capabilities of the new Department of Homeland Security, it will form a coordinated and interlocking network of border security in which the American people can have confidence," the spokeswoman added, reading from a prepared statement.

Earlier this year, the State Department had decided to begin interviewing all male visa applicants who between the ages of 16-45. Since September 11, 92 percent of applicants between the ages of 16 and 45 have been interviewed, according to State Department statistics.

Prior to September 11, the State Department refused 3 percent of visa applicants from Saudi Arabia. Since the attacks, the refusal rate has risen to 10 percent.