H, L, O, and P Visa Revalidation Discontinued

I thought this news was very important for IT people who hold H, L, O and P visas. The US government did everyone a "favor" by discontinuing revalidation on the mentioned visas in the US. You used to be able to send your paperwork to the Department Of State and receive a new visa by email provided you were already in the US. Even that is going away now as of July 16, 2004.

Below is an excerpt from their site:

The Revalidation Division is discontinuing the domestic visa revalidation (or reissuance) service. Notification of the discontinuation of domestic visa revalidation services was published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2004. The Division will therefore CLOSE TO NEW APPLICATIONS ON JULY 16, 2004. ALL APPLICATIONS FOR VISA REVALIDATIONS IN THE E, H, I, L, O, OR P CATEGORIES MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE ST. LOUIS PROCESSING OFFICE ON OR BEFORE JULY 16, 2004.

This is done in the name of collecting "biometric" identifiers for all non-diplomatic visa applicants. Foreign nationals will have to travel to their home countries to have visas renewed. If I understand it correctly you may do so in Canada or Mexico as well:

Applicants not traveling to their home countries may apply at a U.S. visa processing post in Canada or Mexico provided they have made an interview appointment. Applicants may also apply at a U.S. visa processing post in a third country provided they have made an interview appointment.

Someone, correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's my take on this: it is appalling that so many IT professionals will have to take a substantial expense, take quite of a bit of time off work and travel just to have another interview with a local consulate. This is bulls****. I don't think people in the government understand what all this means because they don't have to deal with this hassle. I also don't understand why this can't be done on a local level much like they do it at DMV. When you get your driver's license they take your "biometrics" too. If you can have your "biometrics" taken in a third country it means it's all flowing into the same database anyway! And if this is a part of the effort to "thwart terrorism" why are IT professionals herded along with "potential terrorists".

People, please get Bush out of the office. His government doesn't know what it's doing. It's only f****ing it up for everyone.