The U.S. State Department has done "tremendous work" in speeding up the visa process, Freeman said, and posts visa interview wait times on consulate websites.

CNN: Survey: U.S. Customs is driving visitors away

Outside the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang, a teacher at Liaoning Normal University who gave her name as Guo prepared to apply for a visa.

WSJ: Parents of China Victim Get U.S. Visas