America’s visa system is stifling science and innovation

Recently, one of the authors of this piece organized an “AI in Management” conference at the USC Marshall School of Business. Scholars from around the world shared cutting-edge research and made valuable connections with colleagues.

But then the cancellation emails kept coming. Several researchers’ plans to attend were unexpectedly thwarted. Around 8 percent of the invited speakers had to cancel because they weren’t able to secure the necessary travel visas in time.

Many encountered months-long or even year-long waits to schedule visa interview appointments at the American embassies in their home countries.

Other conference participants had no trouble joining — provided they were from the right place. Residents of 41 countries, mostly in Europe, qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows visa-free travel to America for up to 90 days.

Our recent research shows that when foreign scholars and scientists make short-term visits to the U.S. more easily thanks to visa waivers, knowledge sharing and knowledge creation increase significantly. Expanding the Visa Waiver Program to more countries could help invigorate American innovation.

Many factors have converged to dampen American innovation in recent years, including lingering effects from the pandemic, decades of cuts to corporate research and development initiatives and deep slashes to federal science funding.

It is in everyone’s best interest to make innovation a national priority. Studies show that increased innovation is strongly linked to economic growth, higher wages, better health outcomes and overall social progress.

U.S. passport holders can travel to 188 countries without applying for a visa in advance. Americans who are used to simply flashing their passports and waltzing into foreign countries may not realize how hard it is going in the other direction.

But for foreign researchers from certain countries, attending even a one-day seminar in the U.S. can be challenging. Foreign nationals often have to wait months to get a visa interview with U.S. immigration officials. They must prepare time-consuming documentation, often including records of employment status, bank account balances and past travel going back years, to bring with them to the interview. Afterward, it takes at least several days for the visa to arrive, if it is approved. This unpredictable process can lead to last-minute trip cancellations like those endured by our conference presenters.

The Visa Waiver Program vastly simplifies this process. Visitors from approved countries simply apply electronically for a travel authorization at least 72 hours before they plan to enter the U.S. This quick, simple turnaround allows scholars and scientists from around the world to connect with their American counterparts, with lasting benefits for U.S. innovation.

Our study, published earlier this year, found that when foreign scientists in multinational pharmaceutical firms could easily travel to their company’s American research and development centers through the Visa Waiver Program, innovation (as measured by patent filings) increased significantly. In fact, after the Visa Waiver Program was introduced for a given country, the American research and development centers filed 18 percent more patents, and centers in the foreign country also filed 12 percent more patents. The short-term visits made possible by the program enhanced knowledge flow in both directions, with a greater boost toward the U.S.

A follow-up study that looked at the publication of academic papers found similarly promising results. After the Visa Waiver Program was introduced in a given country, the number of papers jointly produced by American researchers and researchers from the country in question increased by 31 percent on average. This growth was observed across a wide variety of disciplines, with the biggest gains in health sciences, economics, veterinary sciences and management.

We already know that long-term immigration boosts American innovation and economic growth. Our research shows that encouraging short-term visits through the Visa Waiver Program can be valuable as well. Face-to-face visits build trust and break down barriers to knowledge sharing that result from geographical, institutional and cultural distances. They allow for rich learning experiences among scientists with diverse expertise that result in a recombination of knowledge.

Given the dire situation of American science funding right now, encouraging eligible researchers to take advantage of the Visa Waiver Program could bolster innovation. Organizations should reduce any barriers to travel and may even want to consider incentives or subsidies that facilitate scientists’ travel to the U.S.

The biggest gains, however, would come from expanding the Visa Waiver Program so residents of more countries can participate in these valuable innovation exchanges. Typically, new countries are designated by the Department of Homeland Security and State Department after meeting an extensive set of criteria. In 2005, the Bush administration provided 13 aspiring countries with roadmaps to join the Visa Waiver Program, and 10 have since been admitted. Reviving the roadmap program by publicizing a concrete plan for aspiring Visa Waiver Program countries could help facilitate eligibility for more countries.

Congress could also broaden the program by amending the eligibility criteria or giving DHS more discretion to admit countries that don’t fulfill all the criteria. It could even write bills directly admitting certain countries and bypassing the requirements altogether.

Expanding the Visa Waiver Program would boost American innovation (in addition to increasing tourism revenue). As international scholars ourselves, we know the value that comes from in-person collaboration across borders and have seen firsthand how much scientific progress occurs after researchers convene together. More scholars should be afforded these opportunities to ideate and innovate, for the benefit of us all.

Hyo Kang is an associate professor at Seoul National University Business School. John Eklund is an assistant professor of management and organization at the USC Marshall School of Business.