US trying hard to cut visa delays in India
2 min read
According to the US State Department, granting visas to Indians has been accelerated in novel ways, including by utilizing its embassies in other nations to deal with the backlog in India, thereby reducing visa delays for thousands of Indian applicants.
It stated that the department will begin renewing H-1B and L-1 visas in the United States later this year and will waive the requirement that applicants can only obtain a renewal stamp abroad. Due to this rule, many people were stuck in limbo during the pandemic.
Senior officials stated on Tuesday that while the wait for a visitor visa in India is still approximately 560 days, it has decreased from 1,000 days the previous year as a result of additional staff, extended hours, weekend shifts, and the personal commitment of the secretary of state Antony Blinken to resolving the issue.
US trying to cut visa delays in India
The deputy assistant secretary for consular affairs, Julie Stufft, stated that reducing wait times was her top priority. She stated, “It’s the first thing I do when I wake up.” This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The visa operations in India are very different from any other country. Because of the range of visas and the massive demand.”
Stufft acknowledged that wait times in India are still “too high.” However, the department had taken steps such as allowing Indian applicants to apply to other US embassies and consulates and removing interview requirements for regular travelers. She stated, “It’s not ideal, but it’s helping people who need to travel quickly.”
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To get rid of the backlog, dozens more officers have been assigned. According to Stufft, the United States issued 125,000 student visas in 2022, more than any other year.
Nancy Jackson, deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, echoed the sentiment. She stated that people-to-people ties were the foundation of the relationship. Between the United States and India, she is “keenly aware” of the potential for the visa issue. To harm public perceptions of the United States. She stated, “We must get it right.”
