Consular news – Embassy 4 – January 2008

Capturing America

America's strict visa regime doesn't often win the US Embassy friends, but the Embassy's Visa Services department has come up with a novel way to make it up to the disgruntled visa applicants – by holding a photographic competition among US visa holders. Called 'American Visions', it awards prizes to those applicants whose photos best capture the “spirit, culture or values of the US”.

The first went to Priscila Perianez McBride, a native of Brazil now living in London, for her moving image of a September 11th memorial overlooking the changed New York City skyline. Winning entries will be published in Essentially America magazine and the Embassy plans to repeat the competition this summer.