Imagine that you are a recently retired professor from a university in the United States. A democratic country friendly to the United States has invited you to give a lecture at a major scientific event. You are a life-long academic with an international reputation who has traveled often to that country. Aware of new visa regulations, you schedule an interview at one of four consulates in the United States. The average waiting time for the interview is 4 months, but you are successful, through the intercession of your hosts, in getting an earlier date. You fly to the nearest consulate, stand in line for several hours, and finally see an officer. You pay the $100 application fee and your photograph and fingerprints are taken. You're asked to explain your research, starting with your Ph.D. thesis, completed over 40 years ago. You do this but to no avail, as the officer lacks scientific training and does not understand. Your application is refused and will be reconsidered only after you provide additional written information, the review of which will somehow ensure that you are not a security threat. This will take at least 2 more weeks. You return home without your visa and cancel your trip, because even if your responses pass scrutiny, your visa would be issued only after the date on which you have been invited to lecture.
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