United States President Donald Trump announced a "FIFA Pass" system on Monday, which will allow foreigners with a ticket to the World Cup to obtain visas more quickly.
The system "will allow ticket holders facing long wait times (for their visas) to schedule a priority appointment," Trump announced, accompanied by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The word "pass" stands for "prioritised appointment scheduling system."
Trump's strict immigration policy has raised questions about how the millions of foreign spectators expected for the upcoming major soccer tournament will reach the US next year. The tournament will be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that a ticket is not a visa. "We will conduct the same screening as everyone else. The only difference is that we will prioritise them," Rubio said.
He stated that more than 400 additional consular officers will be deployed worldwide to process visa applications. According to Rubio, in 80% of cases, travellers receive an appointment for their visa within 60 days.
