US Embassy opens up 100,000 visa appointments for H&L workers
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The US has opened up 100,000 visa appointments for H and L worker applicants, focusing on first-time candidates.
“A huge number of candidates have already booked their appointments and the wait time for both interview waiver and first-time appointments has been cut in half all through Mission India. This bulk appointment opening reflects an ongoing commitment to H&L workers,” US Embassy in India said in a tweet.
“In the initial nine months of 2022, the U.S. Mission to India had already processed more than 160,000 H&L visas and we will continue to prioritize H&L workers for visa appointments as resources allow,” the Embassy added.
The move was first reported by Wear Heflin, Clergyman Advisor for Consular Issues, US Consulate last month.
“There are individuals in the US on an H or L visa who haven’t had the option to return home to visit families since Coronavirus began, we feel for them,” Heflin said.
100,000 visa appointments for H&L workers
The embassy also declared it would be taking special measures to cut down wait times for B1/B2 visas, which are used by tourists and business people, throughout the following couple of months.
Consular officials are now temporarily authorized, through 31st December 2022. To waive in-person interviews for specific individual petition-based non-immigrant work visas and their qualifying derivatives in the following categories:
- People in Specialty Occupations (H-1B visas)
- Trainee or Special Education Visitors (H-3 visas)
- Intracompany Transferees (L visas)
- People with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement (O visas)
- Athletes, Artists, and Entertainers (P visas)
- Participants in International Cultural Exchange Programs (Q visas)
Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has extended consular officials’ current ability to waive the in-person interview. Through 31st December 2022, for the following different categories of non-immigrant visas: Temporary Agricultural and Non-agricultural workers (H-2 visas), Students (F and M visas), and Student Exchange Visitors (Academic J visas).
[USCIS Now Providing 24-Month Extension of Green Cards Based on Pending Form I-90]
“We recognize the numerous commitments of international visitors to our networks and campuses. Lastly, the authorization to waive the in-person interview for candidates renewing a visa in the same visa class. Within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration has been extended indefinitely,” added the release.
The waiting period for Indians looking to get a visitor visa. To the US has gone up to 800 days, as per the site of the US State Department. The waiting period is almost 400 days for student/exchange visitor visas and other non-immigrant visas.
