"Missionary service is the lifeblood for many churches across the nation, yet long and unpredictable visa delays are taking a toll on those who have answered the call to serve," Senator Orrin Hatch told the Deseret News after proposing a bill Wednesday that would help missionaries and volunteers of all faiths get their visas faster.
Senator Hatch, a member of the Church, proposed to speed up the international visa processing time for missionaries by allowing religious organizations to participate in a streamlined blanket petition procedure.
Currently, churches need approval for a nonimmigrant visa before a missionary can receive their visa, a process that can take six to nine months.
However, this new bill could potentially cut that time down to a matter of weeks. And, since the Church has the largest missionary program in the world, this new bill would no doubt help the missionaries coming and going into the MTC.