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Grant Hongling Zou a Re-entry Visa

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To:  US Department of State

Hongling Zou is a first-year Ph.D. student from China in the Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania. In December 2002 she returned to China to visit her family. Since F-1 visas for Chinese students expire after 6 months, Hongling reapplied but the process has been severely delayed by a MANTIS security check. The US State Department’s technology alert list (MANTIS) defines sensitive fields of research and study. Hongling’s field of study is Physical Chemistry, which is not on the alert list. Furthermore, as a first year student she is not yet engaged in any research. Although she explained these facts to the visa officer, her claims were disregarded.

Since January 3rd 2003, Hongling has been waiting in China for the security clearance so she can continue her studies in the US. She has complied with all visa regulations: the denial of her re-entry is arbitrary and unjust. Because of the uncertainty of her situation, her academic career is in jeopardy and she is under emotional distress. In an email exchange with a friend, she wrote: “This made me really sad. Just think about 4 months of waiting, doing nothing. All you've got is anxiousness and disappointment.” Hongling has tried through all avenues available to her to resolve her case quickly, but has so far been unsuccessful. The security check is both unnecessary and unjustifiable in Hongling’s case; it is also a waste of US taxpayers’ money.

We, the undersigned, members of the University of Pennsylvania community as well as the larger public, hereby petition the United States Department of State to grant Hongling Zou a re-entry visa to the United States at the earliest possible time. Hongling is an invaluable member of our University community and her presence is sorely missed. In light of Hongling’s need to return to PENN to complete her Ph.D. studies in the Department of Chemistry, we petition the US government to use all means necessary to expedite this process.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

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The Grant Hongling Zou a Re-entry Visa Petition to US Department of State was created by GET-UP International Student Committee and written by Huarong Tang.  This petition is hosted here at http://www.petitiononline.com/petition.html as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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