<p>The US Mission to India in a statement released on Monday (September 29) said that the US has "opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students."</p>

<p>"The recently released new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants take timely interviews, facilitating travel, which is the backbone of the people-to-people ties that underpin the US-India relationship," the statement added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/were-working-like-hell-biden-on-avoiding-all-out-war-in-middle-east-after-israeli-strikes-763056">'We're working like hell': Biden on avoiding all-out war in Middle East after Israeli strikes</a></strong></p>

<p>The announcement comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited United States and met President Joe Biden on the sidelines of Quad Summit and 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The U.S. Mission to India has opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travelers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students. <a href="https://t.co/DnPYNNkONN">pic.twitter.com/DnPYNNkONN</a></p>
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAndIndia/status/1840667092355268929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I’m proud to say that we have delivered on that promise. Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging&nbsp;demand,” a statement from US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, read.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gdp-measured-in-radicalisation-indias-jaishankar-takes-a-dig-at-pakistan-in-unga-address-762848">‘GDP measured in radicalisation,’ India’s Jaishankar takes a dig at Pakistan in UNGA address</a></strong></p>

<p>"The US Mission to India has already surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year. &nbsp;During our student visa season this summer, we continued to process record numbers, and all first-time student applicants were able to obtain an appointment at one of our five consular sections around India," a post shared by the US Embassy in India said.</p>

<p>As per the statement from the US Mission, in 2024 so far, over 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the United States, marking a 35% rise compared to the same time frame in 2023. Currently, at least six million Indians hold non-immigrant visas to visit the US, and every day, the US Mission is issuing thousands more, the statement added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The US Mission to India in a statement released on Monday (September 29) said that the US has "opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students.

The US Mission to India in a statement released on Monday (September 29) said that the US has "opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students." "The recently released new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants take timely interviews, facilitating travel, which is the backbone of the people-to-people ties that underpin the US-India relationship," the statement added. Also read: 'We're working like hell': Biden on avoiding all-out war in Middle East after Israeli strikes The announcement comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited United States and met President Joe Biden on the sidelines of Quad Summit and 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York. The U.S. Mission to India has opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travelers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students. pic.twitter.com/DnPYNNkONN — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) September 30, 2024 × “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I’m proud to say that we have delivered on that promise. Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging demand,” a statement from US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, read. Also read: ‘GDP measured in radicalisation,’ India’s Jaishankar takes a dig at Pakistan in UNGA address "The US Mission to India has already surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year.  During our student visa season this summer, we continued to process record numbers, and all first-time student applicants were able to obtain an appointment at one of our five consular sections around India," a post shared by the US Embassy in India said. As per the statement from the US Mission, in 2024 so far, over 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the United States, marking a 35% rise compared to the same time frame in 2023. Currently, at least six million Indians hold non-immigrant visas to visit the US, and every day, the US Mission is issuing thousands more, the statement added. (With inputs from agencies)

US opens 250,000 more visa appointments for Indian tourists, students after PM Modi's visit

<p>The wait time, when it comes to a US visitor's visa interview for Indians, has been reduced by 60 per cent this year, Press Trust of India reported while citing a senior official in the Biden administration. The said official attributed the claim to a number of measures taken by the USCIS, including opening more diplomatic missions in India as well as abroad to process visitor's visa applications.</p>

<p>As travel to the United States opened up following a marked drop in Covid cases worldwide, India was one of the countries from where the number of visitor visa applications were significantly high.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>B1 and B2 visa applications: Concerns over long waiting period</strong></h2>

<p>First time visa applicants, especially the ones applying under B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories, face long waiting periods. In October 2022, the waiting period of first time B1 and B2 visa applicants from India was nearly 1,000 days.</p>

<h2><strong>US to issue one million visas this year</strong></h2>

<p>Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft told Press Trust of India that the US State Department aims to issue 1 million visas this year, overtaking the pre-pandemic number of about 800,000.</p>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>Stufft added that Frankfurt, London and Abu Dhabi have taken a lot of Indian citizens who are seeking visas.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-can-apply-for-jobs-give-interviews-while-on-tourist-or-business-visa-in-us-federal-agency-575059">One can apply for jobs, give interviews while on tourist or business visa in US: Federal agency</a></strong></p>

<p>"We have asked these missions to take Indians as if they were from their own host country. Especially in places like Bangkok where there is no visa required for Indians and it is a relatively short flight. Obviously this is not ideal. We want Indians to be able to apply in India, and that’s where we’ll get to," she said.</p>

<p>More than 100 US diplomatic missions have been issuing visas to Indians.</p>

<p>"As a result of all of these efforts, the visitor visa interview wait time has decreased by 60 per cent just in the last couple of months. This is a result of all the work that we’ve put into making sure that Indians who wish to travel to the US can do so," she explained.</p>

<p>The US Embassy in India has said that with the lifting of Covid-related travel restrictions, facilitation of legitimate travel has been prioritised. Over 8,00,000 non-immigrant visas were issued in 2022, including record numbers of both student and employment visas.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;US allows tourists to apply for jobs while on temporary visa</strong></p>

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<p>"In every other visa category, interview wait times in India are at pre-pandemic levels or lower," the embassy said in a statement in January this year.</p>

<p>Stufft said that currently "visa production in India is 40 per cent higher than what it was before the pandemic," adding that the State Department was working hard to bring down the wait time.</p>

<p>In February, the US had the highest on-record production of visas in India.</p>

<p>"Our team there is working very hard and they’re well on their way to accomplishing the 1 million visa goal," Stufft said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The wait time, when it comes to a US visitor's visa interview for Indians, has been reduced by 60 per cent this year, Press Trust of India reported while citing a senior official in the Biden administration.

The wait time, when it comes to a US visitor's visa interview for Indians, has been reduced by 60 per cent this year, Press Trust of India reported while citing a senior official in the Biden administration. The said official attributed the claim to a number of measures taken by the USCIS, including opening more diplomatic missions in India as well as abroad to process visitor's visa applications. As travel to the United States opened up following a marked drop in Covid cases worldwide, India was one of the countries from where the number of visitor visa applications were significantly high. B1 and B2 visa applications: Concerns over long waiting period First time visa applicants, especially the ones applying under B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories, face long waiting periods. In October 2022, the waiting period of first time B1 and B2 visa applicants from India was nearly 1,000 days. US to issue one million visas this year Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft told Press Trust of India that the US State Department aims to issue 1 million visas this year, overtaking the pre-pandemic number of about 800,000. "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 added that Frankfurt, London and Abu Dhabi have taken a lot of Indian citizens who are seeking visas. ALSO READ | One can apply for jobs, give interviews while on tourist or business visa in US: Federal agency "We have asked these missions to take Indians as if they were from their own host country. Especially in places like Bangkok where there is no visa required for Indians and it is a relatively short flight. Obviously this is not ideal. We want Indians to be able to apply in India, and that’s where we’ll get to," she said. More than 100 US diplomatic missions have been issuing visas to Indians. "As a result of all of these efforts, the visitor visa interview wait time has decreased by 60 per cent just in the last couple of months. This is a result of all the work that we’ve put into making sure that Indians who wish to travel to the US can do so," she explained. The US Embassy in India has said that with the lifting of Covid-related travel restrictions, facilitation of legitimate travel has been prioritised. Over 8,00,000 non-immigrant visas were issued in 2022, including record numbers of both student and employment visas. ALSO WATCH | US allows tourists to apply for jobs while on temporary visa × "In every other visa category, interview wait times in India are at pre-pandemic levels or lower," the embassy said in a statement in January this year. Stufft said that currently "visa production in India is 40 per cent higher than what it was before the pandemic," adding that the State Department was working hard to bring down the wait time. In February, the US had the highest on-record production of visas in India. "Our team there is working very hard and they’re well on their way to accomplishing the 1 million visa goal," Stufft said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US slashes visitors visa wait time for Indians; aims to issue one million visas in 2023

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US opens 250,000 more visa appointments for Indian tourists, students after PM Modi's visit

US slashes visitors visa wait time for Indians; aims to issue one million visas in 2023