The U.S. Consular Consolidated Database system has crashed resulting in significant delays in the processing of visas and passports for potentially millions of people around the world.

1.
Computer glitch has caused a world-wide delay
in U.S. visa and passport processing
Publication Date: 28 July 2014 | Author(s): Geetha Adinata Member Firm(s): FordHarrison
Country: United States
The U.S. State Department has announced that technological glitches in the Consular
Consolidated Database, which it uses to process travel documents, have caused the system to
crash. The crash has resulted in significant delays in the processing of visas and passports for
potentially millions of people around the world. According to the Associated Press, State
Department spokesperson Marie Harf has stated that since Saturday, July 19, unspecified glitches
in the database have resulted in "significant performance issues, including outages" in the
processing of applications for passports, visas and reports of Americans born abroad. Ms. Harf
also stated that the problems with the database have resulted in a significant backlog in the
processing of applications, which has hampered efforts to get the system back online.
The State Department did not identify how many individuals may be affected by the database
problem, but stated that the problem is world-wide and is not specific to any country, citizenship
document, or visa category. There is no information on how long the disruption will last.
Employers whose workers are planning to travel to the U.S. for business and have applied for
visas should be aware that this process will most likely be delayed.
Taken from the Ius Laboris Knowledge Base: www.globalhrlaw.com
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