To Cut Long Waiting Period For US Visas, New Rules For Indians

New Delhi:

With the appointment ready interval for a US visa nonetheless over 500 days in most of India, regardless of makes an attempt to chop the backlog, the US embassy in India at present mentioned that Indians who’re travelling overseas can get a visa appointment on the US embassy or Consulate of their vacation spot. Citing Thailand for instance, it mentioned that the nation has appointment capability for B1 and B2 visa (journey and enterprise).

“Do you’ve got upcoming worldwide journey? In that case, you might be able to get a visa appointment on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your vacation spot. For instance, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capability for Indians who might be in Thailand within the coming months,” US embassy, India, tweeted.

Do you’ve got upcoming worldwide journey? In that case, you might be able to get a visa appointment on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your vacation spot. For instance, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capability for Indians who might be in Thailand within the coming months. pic.twitter.com/tjunlBqeYu

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) February 3, 2023

To chop delays in processing visas, the US lately launched new initiatives, together with scheduling particular interviews for first time candidates and growing the energy of consular employees. As a part of the multipronged method to chop the visa backlog, the US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad additionally performed “particular Saturday interview days” on January 21.

The US State Division has additionally carried out distant processing of interview waiver circumstances for candidates with earlier US visas.

The US mission in India launched greater than 2,50,000 further B1/B2 appointments two weeks in the past.

A senior US visa officer lately informed information company PTI that the US is “placing each ounce of its vitality” to get rid of the lengthy visa wait time in India, together with sending a cadre of consular officers to the nation and opening up its different abroad embassies as distant as Germany and Thailand for Indian visa candidates.

India was one of many only a few nations the place functions for US visas noticed a significant upswing after coronavirus-related journey restrictions had been lifted.

There have been rising issues in India over the lengthy ready interval for first time visa candidates, particularly for these making use of underneath B1 (enterprise) and B2 (vacationer) classes. The ready interval for first time B1/B2 visa candidates in India was shut to 3 years in October final yr.