Page 2 - Us Visas

H-1B visa fee hike hits IT funds; investors urged to stay long-term

Fee hike could accelerate offshore delivery, improve competitiveness; AI adoption, re-skilling initiatives expected to provide medium-term growth opportunities

US sanctions wife of Brazilian judge over Bolsonaro case, revokes visas

The US government has sanctioned the wife of the Brazilian Supreme Court justice who led the investigation into former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced this month to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup in the South American nation. The Trump administration also revoked the US visa of another Brazilian official, Solicitor-General Jorge Messias, who criticized the decision on his social media channels. The wife of Justice Alexandre de Moraes, Viviane Barci de Moraes, was sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act used by the United States against human rights abusers. Her husband was targeted by the same measure as he oversaw the case against Bolsonaro. This is the latest chapter in a unilateral wave of attacks from the Trump administration against Brazil, which includes sanctions against other authorities and tariffs of 50% on many of the country's exports to the U.S. Local media also reported that other judges who worked with de Moraes at the Supreme Court had also l

Question over H-1B fee sees techies, students scrambling for answers

For Arun Kumar (name changed), a techie from south Tamil Nadu, the past 30 hours have been a whirlwind of stress and frantic search for a flight ticket to the US

Trump's H-1B shock: Offshoring likely to get lift, IT cos may take a hit

New US visa fee piles pressure on Indian IT firms, threatening margins and accelerating shift to GCCs, automation, and local hiring

Explained: Impact of H-1B crackdown, role of other visa categories

Indian IT companies, heavy users of H-1B and L-1 visas, face fresh scrutiny as US policy tightens, raising questions on talent mobility and onsite project costs

Promised 'taste of America', J-1 visa workers faced abuse, exploitation

Every year, tens of thousands of young people are sent on visas to toil as farmworkers, housekeepers and office interns, all in the name of cultural exchange

Trump launches US 'Gold Card' visa programme to attract wealthy immigrants

New pay-to-immigrate scheme offers residency for $1 million, replacing EB-1 and EB-2 visas and aiming to boost US commerce and investment

US revokes visas of Indian executives over links to fentanyl trafficking

The move follows US President Donald Trump's recent naming of India, along with 22 other countries, as a major drug transit or illicit drug-producing nation

US EB-5 visa route gaining traction among Indians, says immigration expert

The entry to America through the capital investment route is becoming popular, and Indians, particularly students and professionals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, can consider this option, an expert on US immigration law has said. Speaking here on the current state of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, Indian American immigration attorney Nadadur S Kumar said it is no longer a niche option. The EB-5 visa grants lawful permanent resident status (a green card) to foreigners with a minimum investment requirement of $8,00,000 (Rs 6-7 crore). The rise in property values and home equity has enabled more Indians to fund their investments, often with the support of parents. Many H-1B visa holders and students transitioning from F-1 to H-1B status in the US have also been able to leverage their financial progress to pursue EB-5," he said. The visa programme is becoming an increasingly popular pathway for Indians, particularly students and professionals

China opposes 'media warfare' with US on new journalist-visa limits

The new rule, detailed in a Department of Homeland Security proposal, would limit visas for mainland Chinese journalists to 90 days

Firms may hesitate to invest in US without visa reforms: S Korean President

South Korea's president said Thursday that South Korean companies will likely hesitate to maintain or make direct investments in the United States if the US fails to improve its visa system for Korean workers. President Lee Jae Myung made the comments in a televised news conference while he spoke about the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers after the September 4 immigration raid at a battery factory under construction at Hyundai's sprawling auto plant in Georgia. Lee said the Korean workers are set to be brought home on Friday aboard a charter plane. South Korean and US officials are discussing a possible improvement to the US visa system, Lee said, adding that under the current system South Korean companies can't help hesitating a lot about making direct investments in the US. Whether the US establishes a visa system allowing South Korean companies to send skilled workers to work at industrial sites will have a major impact on future South Korean investments in the US

US plans fixed visa limits for foreign media, students and exchange workers

According to the proposed regulations, the visa periods for international students and cultural exchange visitors will not exceed more than four years

Cong MLA urges Centre to intervene after US halts truck drivers' visas

The reaction came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States would temporarily halt issuing worker visas to commercial truck drivers

2 killed, several injured as LPG tanker catches fire in Punjab's Hoshiarpur

Two people died and several others were injured when an LPG tanker caught fire late Friday night on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road, officials said. The blaze spread rapidly and engulfed nearly 15 shops and four to five residential houses in the vicinity of the Mandiala Adda area, said police. The incident took place around 10 pm, they said. Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain and Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Malik rushed to the spot and supervised rescue operations. Jain said preliminary inquiry suggested that the tanker caught fire after colliding with another vehicle. She said fire tenders and ambulances were immediately mobilised to the spot. "The fire has largely been brought under control. A detailed assessment of the cause of the accident and the extent of damage will be made once the situation is fully stabilised," she added. Civil Surgeon Pawan Kumar said two persons were brought dead to the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital while 18 to 20 injured were admitted. "Fi

US imposes $15,000 visa bond on Zambians, Malawians to curb overstays

The measure adds to steps taken by the US government to limit the arrival of people that it deems undesirable

As Trump cracks down on student visas, other countries see opportunity

In China, wait times for US visa interviews are so long that some students have given up. Universities in Hong Kong are fielding transfer inquiries from foreign students in the US, and international applications for British undergraduate programs have surged. President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring US colleges to reduce their dependence on international enrolment while adding new layers of scrutiny for foreign students as part of its crackdown on immigration. The US government has sought to deport foreign students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism. In the spring, it abruptly revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, including some whose only brush with law enforcement was a traffic ticket. After reversing course, the government paused new appointments for student visas while rolling out a process for screening applicants' social media accounts. The US remains the first choice for many international students, but institutions ...

Indian students face US visa appointment issues: Govt to Parliament

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has received several representations from Indian students and their families, flagging difficulty in obtaining US student visa appointments after American authorities announced an expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants, the government said on Thursday. In a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said the MEA took up the matter with the US embassy in New Delhi as well as the US Department of State. The ministry was asked whether the government is aware of US student visa issues being faced by prospective Indian students. "On 18 June 2025, US Department of State (DOS) issued a press release titled 'Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants'. In the said press release, DOS stated that it uses all available information in its visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those w

Visa application must be assessed on merit: MEA on US social media scrutiny

The statement comes hours after the US Embassy in India said that the visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles in visa applications

US exempts Afghan SIV holders from travel ban, reaffirms visa support

The exemption has brought relief to thousands of Afghans awaiting relocation under the programme

Tighter H-1B rules, tech layoffs push Indians to alternative US visas

As H-1B scrutiny tightens and tech layoffs rise, Indian professionals are turning to alternative US visas like L-1, O-1 and EB-5 for stability and long-term stay