Want visa system to be simple, swift: MEA on 1,000-day US visa wait

Amid reports that people in India seeking a tourist or business visa for the US may have to wait for three years to get one, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said it has not raised the matter with the country, but expects the visa system of a country to be predictable and less time taking.

According to media reports, those planning to visit the United States on visitor visas - B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) - will have to wait for nearly three years and the waiting time for applicants in India is close to 1,000 days.

Asked if the matter had been taken up with the US, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We want that when people want to go somewhere, the visa system should be simple. This is our expectation."

He said it had not been taken up formally because "we would not want someone commenting on our system."

"But we would want the system to be predictable, simple and does not take much time. We have seen the (US) embassy here has said that they are taking steps to ensure that not much time is not taken. We hope the waiting time is reduced," Bagchi said.