Page 16 - Us Visa

US lawmakers ask admin to address India visa wait time issue on priority

Describing India as an important partner wherein people to people relationship plays a significant role, top US lawmakers have urged the Biden Administration to address the visa wait time issue in India on a priority basis. Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congressman Michael Waltz, Co-Chair of the House India Caucus, during two separate Congressional hearings on Consular Affairs Budget asked top State Department officials why people in India were facing visa wait time up to 600 days. "The United States enjoys strong people to people ties with India. India is now part of the QUAD. We are constantly engaging it in geostrategic interests that we have. New Jersey is home to a great number of Indian Americans and their families. I appreciate and applaud the department's heightened focus towards reducing wait times for first time B1-B2 applicants in India, Menendez said. "But despite that progress this past year, India continues to face the ..

US visa threat before B'desh elections: Warning to faltering democracies

The US would now restrict visas for any Bangladeshi citizen who is believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in that country

H1B lottery scam: What is visa fraud and how to avoid being a victim of it

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise

US to start student visa application process for Fall session from mid-May

The country intends to increase visa interview appointments for Indian students by 30% this summer

H-1B lottery system has resulted in sharp increase of abuse, fraud: USCIS

The computerised drawing of lots devised to select successful H-1B applicants every year has resulted in abuse of the system and a sharp increase in fraudulent efforts, a federal agency said Friday. In an unusual statement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday said, based on evidence from the Financial Year 2023 and Financial Year 2024 H-1B cap seasons, it has already undertaken extensive fraud investigations, denied and revoked petitions. USCIS said it is in the process of initiating law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution. The H-1B programme is an essential part of our nation's immigration system and our economy, and the USCIS is committed to implementing the law and helping meet the ever-changing needs of the US labour market, it said. We are working on an upcoming H-1B modernisation rule that will propose, among other improvements, bolstering the H-1B registration process to reduce the possibility of misuse and fraud in the H-1B registration syst

US extends visa walk-in interview waiver for more applicants; check here

It is applicable for those who want to renew their US visa within 48 months of expiry

US on track to issue over a million visas to Indians this year: Official

The US is on track to issue more than a million visas to Indians this year, a senior official has said, assuring that the Biden administration is committed this summer to make sure it processes all of the student visas for Indians whose school starts this fall. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu also told PTI in an interview this week that they are also prioritising work visas: H-1B's and L visas, the most sought-after by IT professionals from India. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. We are on track to issue more than a million visas this year. This is a record for us along with a record number of student visas and immigrant visas, Lu said. Lu said the US is committed this summer to make sure it proces

Visa interviews for Indian students to be increased by 30% this summer: US

The US aims to increase visa interview appointments for Indian students by 30 per cent this summer, US Consul General in Mumbai Mike Hankey said here on Tuesday. He said US consulates processed nearly 1.25 lakh visa applications of students in India. During his visit to Aurangabad, Hankey held meetings with members of industries. He also visited Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and interacted with students. "Last year, we sent more than 1.25 lakh Indian students to the US, setting a new record for Indian students going to the US in a year and establishing India as the leading country of sending students. This year we are trying to increase that number (of students) further," he told PTI. "Our goal is to expand the number of interview appointments we offer for students by 30 per cent this summer. We hope to welcome more Indian students to the USA," Hankey added. During his interaction with students, the American envoy appealed to them to visit websites and find an ...

H-2B visas open for late second half returning workers for FY 2023

The US will begin accepting petitions for H-2B visa workers for the late second half of fiscal year 2023 under the supplemental cap temporary final rule

'American dream': US visas for Indians now come through China

The US administration has waived the in-person interviews requirement whenever possible to reduce the wait time for visa clearances

Bill to reform H-1B and L-1 visa programme introduced in US Senate

A group of influential lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan legislation in the US Senate to comprehensively overhaul the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes and usher in more transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The L-1 is the other type of work visa the US issues to professionals looking to work in the country. Unlike the H-1B, where an individual is looking to join an American company, the L-1 visa is issued to those who are already employed by the company in another country, and who are merely relocating to an American office. Two influential Senators -- Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley -- have introduced this legislation in the US Senate. The co-sponsors include Senators Tommy Tuberville,

Wait time for US visitor's visa interview in India cut by 60%: Official

The wait time for a US visitor's visa interview in India has been reduced by 60 per cent this year, a senior official has said, attributing it to several steps the United States has taken, including increasing the number of officials and opening other diplomatic missions to process these applications. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft told PTI in an interview that the goal of the State Department is to get to 1 million visas issued this year, which would be above the pre-pandemic number. "We have increased the number of officers going to India. We have set up arrangements, which is unprecedented, with other embassies in the world like Bangkok to take Indians who are seeking visas. We are opening a new consulate in Hyderabad... and we're just focused on making sure that we can bring the wait time down in India," she said. Stufft noted that Frankfurt, London and Abu Dhabi have taken a lot of Indian citizens who are seeking visas. "We have asked these

Apply for jobs, give interviews on tourist, biz visa in US: Federal agency

The move by the USCIS came as thousands of highly skilled foreign-born workers, including Indians, in the US, have lost their jobs due to a series of recent layoffs at companies like Google, Microsoft

Apply for jobs, give interviews on tourist, biz visa in US: Federal agency

The US has announced that individuals travelling to the country on a business or tourist visa - B-1 and B-2 - can apply for new jobs and even appear in interviews, but the prospective employees must ensure that they have changed their visa status before starting a new role. B-1 and B-2 visas are generally referred to as B visas, and they are the most common types of visa issued for a wide range of uses in the United States. The B-1 visa is issued mainly for short-term business trips, while the B-2 visa is issued mainly travelling for tourism purposes. In a note, and a series of tweets, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Wednesday when nonimmigrant workers are laid off, they may not be aware of their options and may, in some instances, wrongly assume that they have no option but to leave the country within 60 days. The move by the USCIS came as thousands of highly skilled foreign-born workers, including Indians, in the US, have lost their jobs due to a series

Now international students can apply for US visa a year in advance

In a much-needed relief for foreign students looking to study in the US, the Biden administration has announced they can now apply for a visa up to a year before their academic term begins. The State Department, however, said that international students will not be allowed to enter the country on a student visa more than 30 days before the start of their programme. International students are normally issued two categories of US visas F and M. Student (F and M) visas for new students can be issued up to 365 days in advance of the start date for a course of study, the State Department said. However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States on your student visa more than 30 days before the start date, it said on Tuesday. A student can enter the US before 30 days of the start of their programme on a valid visitor (B) visa. A student visa is issued by US embassies and consulates based on the I-20 form issued by their academic institutions. The State Department mandates that

India 'number one' priority, have reduced wait time for visa: US Officials

India is the United States' number one priority, US Visa officials said while adding that after the COVID pandemic, there has been a rise of around 36 per cent in visa processing across the country

EB-5 visa: What is it, who can apply and how it is different from H1-B visa

H1-B visa requires a sponsor for the immigrant to stay in the US but no such sponsorship is needed in the EB-5 scheme

Amid backlog, now Indians can apply for US visa from other countries

Earlier, the US had launched initiatives like including scheduling special interviews for first time applicants and increasing strength of consular staff

Application for visa renewal can be submitted through dropbox: US Embassy

People seeking renewal of US visa can now submit their applications through dropbox, the US Embassy has said while clarifying that such requests would not be entertained through email. According to John Ballard, the consular chief at the US Consulate General in Mumbai, the US embassy and consulates in India have prepared to receive a record number of visas from Indian students in 2023. The US embassy adjudicated over 1,25,000 student visas in 2022. "It was the most students that we have ever adjudicated here in India and we expect in 2023, we will have even more Indian students that will be coming into apply for visas," Ballard told PTI.

US launches new initiative to cut delays in visa processing in India

With an aim to cut delays in visa processing in India, the US has launched new initiatives, including scheduling special interviews for first time applicants and increasing strength of consular staff. As part of the multi-pronged approach to cut the visa backlog, the US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad conducted "special Saturday interview days" on January 21. "On January 21, the US mission in India launched the first in a series of special Saturday interview days, as part of a larger effort to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants," the US embassy said on Sunday. "The United States Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad all opened consular operations on Saturday to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews," it said in a statement. The mission will continue to open "additional slots" for appointments to take place on select Saturdays in the coming months. "These ...