According to a senior US visa officer, the US is doing everything it can to reduce the lengthy wait times for visas in India. It will be deploying a group of consular employees there and opening up its other overseas embassies as far away as Germany and Thailand. India became one of the few nations where applications for US visas experienced a significant increase after travel restrictions connected to the coronavirus were eased.
US gives priority to eliminate long term visa wait in India
The lengthy wait times for first-time visa applicants, particularly those applying under the B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories, have raised a lot of worries in India. In October of last year, the wait time for first-time B1/B2 visa applicants in India was almost three years.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, Julie Stuff states
“We’re putting every ounce of our energy toward eliminating these (visa) wait times in India,”
She continued by saying that the US’s top aim is to normalise visa processes throughout the world.
“We’re sending a cadre of consular officers to help our staff in our embassy and consulates in India. They’re working shifts during the day.
They’re working weekends, mainly to do visitor visa interviews, which of course are now the only remaining visa type that we have long wait times for,”
Stufft described the pandemic as being like the US completely shut down the largest machine in the world, which posed a problem to its visa operations. “Now we’re running it faster,” she remarked.
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Secretary of State Anthony Blinken takes personal interest in reducing visa wait time
She noted that the State Department is heavily pressing the operations to make up for what it missed during that time, with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken taking a personal interest in reducing the visa wait time.
She further stated
“We had all of these appointments accessible at one point, but some of them had 1,000-plus day wait times, and now all visa categories except one have no wait waits,” she said.
400 days wait time not acceptable
Even if it is much less than in the past, the wait time for one sort of visa is still over 400 days. The situation is improving every day, but Stufft stated that “400 days is not acceptable.”
We are investing a substantial number of staff to decrease this wait time, she stated, adding that hundreds and dozens of consular officials who aren’t employed in India permanently are being sent to its multiple missions there to assist its people.
Goal to get 120 calendar days wait time for all types of visa categories
The 120 calendar day wait period for all types of visas is Stufft’s objective for this year.
“That’s really what we mean when we say that the global standard of acceptable behaviour is that. In India, this involves determining the level of demand, how to condense it, and how to make interview slots available so that the wait time really decreases “She spoke.
Visa appointments have been made for Indians who are able to travel abroad at American consulates and embassies in and around India as well as abroad in Germany. “We are moving forward. One day, when everything is behind us and time is moving more quickly.”
“This is not something that everyone will enjoy. However, we’ve opened up other embassies in India so that applicants can go there if it’s more convenient for them to make a brief trip outside of the country to apply for a visa “She spoke.
Indian Visa Applicants can apply for US visa in its 192 overseas offices
“I am aware that not everyone will find this appealing. However, I was just looking at our statistics and noticed that since October, 192 of our abroad offices have received visa applications from Indian citizens. That’s amazing. That virtually sums up all of our international offices.
Visa appointments have been made for Indians who are able to travel abroad at American consulates and embassies in and around India as well as abroad in Germany. “We are moving forward. One day, when everything is behind us and time is moving more quickly.”
“This is not something that everyone will enjoy. However, we’ve opened up other embassies in India so that applicants can go there if it’s more convenient for them to make a brief trip outside of the country to apply for a visa “She spoke.
“I am aware that not everyone will find this appealing. However, I was just looking at our statistics and noticed that since October, 192 of our abroad offices have received visa applications from Indian citizens. That’s amazing. That virtually sums up all of our international offices.
. Students, IT Professionals, immigrants who are migrating permanently to the US, and seafaring crew members are given top priority in India when applying for visas. The wait time for an interview for work visas like H-1B and L1 visas has reportedly lowered from 18 months to about 60 days, indicating that significant progress has been made in the processing of permits.
India is now ranked second globally in terms of the quantity of foreign students entering the United States, and this year it may establish a new record for the number of student visas given.
She further stated “We are really, we’re putting all of our efforts now focusing on this visa for visitors and those, in particular, if you don’t need an interview, you don’t need to wait very long at all for a visa renewal. And that’s also one part of our strategy as well,”
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