Executive Order Establishing Visa and Foreign Visitor Processing Goals

President Obama today issued an Executive Order to improve visa and foreign visitor processing and travel promotion in order to create jobs and spur economic growth in the United States. 

The Executive Order has a Four part Implementation Plan, which is of interest to the immigrant community.  The Four Parts of the plan order the Department of Homeland Security that within 60 days of the date of this order, describing actions to be undertaken, including those that build upon efforts underway, to achieve the following:

1. increase nonimmigrant visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent over the coming year;
2. ensure that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within 3 weeks of receipt of application, recognizing that resource and security considerations and the need to ensure provision of consular services to U.S. citizens may dictate specific exceptions;
3. increase efforts to expand the Visa Waiver Program and travel by nationals of Visa Waiver Program participants; and
4. expand reciprocal recognition programs for expedited travel, such as the Global Entry program.

Part #4 seems to indicate that Global Entry Members might be able to take advantage of expedited processing outside of the United States.  Reciprocal programs would likely be able to take advantage of expedited processing for entries into the United States as well.  At least, that is how I read that. 

Given the robust economies of  China and Brazil, I imagine that Part One would benefit the U.S. Economy, as would Parts Two and Three.

Here is the full order:  EXECUTIVE ORDER