US visa applications rise 20 per cent in January

US sees 10-15% rise in processing of visa applications from Indians during October-September 2013-14

Visa processing at the US consulate in here registered a 20 per cent growth in January this year, compared to the year-ago period. Other US visa-processing centres in India,  witnessed a similar trend, according to US officials.

In 2012-13 (October-September), about 700,000 visas were processed; the US expects this to increase by 10-15 per cent in the current financial year.

Notably, this is despite the Devyani Khobragade episode and the subsequent diplomatic stand-off between the two countries. The Khobragade incident involves the arrest and strip-search of the Indian diplomat by US marshals in connection with alleged visa fraud and lying to US authorities about the salary she paid to her housekeeper.

Daniel Gedacht, chief of non-immigrant visas at the US consulate here, told Business Standard: “During US fiscal October-September 2012-13, over 215,000 visa applications were processed at the Mumbai office alone. In January, it surged by over 20 per cent. By the end of the current US fiscal, we expect a further increase in processing of visa applications compared to last year in the Mumbai office. All efforts are on to process visa applications in a seamless manner.” Gedacht was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar at the US consulate.

Gedacht said the Khobragade episode was not impacted visa applications by Indians.

Gedacht’s views were echoed by Julia Stanley, minister counsellor for consular affairs at the US embassy in New Delhi. “We expect the processing of visa applications to increase by 10 per cent to 15 per cent during October-September 2013-14 in India. We are quite grateful to Indians for continuing to come in large numbers for visa and their travel to the US. Neither the Devyani Khobragade incident nor the slide in the rupee have any impact on visa applications for the US.”

Stanley said the US Embassy and consulates across the country are striving to make the visa applications process more transparent and easier.

Peter Haas, US Consul General in Mumbai, said the US and India were long-term partners and the number of visitors from both the countries was going up. ''This will help further grow partnership between US and India,'' he noted.

Manoj Gursahani, president, Visit USA Committee down played Devayani Khobragade episode and said it has been a business as usual. ''More and more Indians are applying for the US visas. The trend will continue in the times to come,'' he opined.

Ashwini Kakkar, founder president, Visit USA Committee- India said even the cost of 10 year US visa is Rs 10,880 as compared to a five year UK visa which costs Rs 53,700, the value provided by the US visa is almost tenfold compared to the UK. ''The United States is fast emerging as a value destination full of rich and unique experiences,'' he added.