Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Dos and don’ts for US-bound

HYDERABAD: Applying for a US visa under different/incorrect categories or adopting fraudulent practices to secure a visa could land you in trouble. The centralised database system to become operational most likely from October will help officials keep track of the status and history of visa applicants across all US consulates around the globe. A former Chief Consular Investigator (Anti-Fraud Unit) with the American Embassy, New Delhi, Himish Bhatnagar, also cautioned participants at an interaction programme on Sunday against illegally overstaying in US as a serious note was taken of such issues, what with the new database system in place.

“Once someone overstays illegally even for a small duration and approaches any consulate anywhere across the globe, they’d be caught and could be deported to their home country besides being blacklisted,” he warned. The seminar-cum-interaction session was organised by Ameyas, a private consulting firm, and well attended by students, software professionals and dependents (spouses).

Apart from this, all fingers would be biometrically fingerprinted henceforth when compared to the earlier system where only the index finger was being fingerprinted, he revealed. Mr. Bhatnagar was asked several queries about employment visas like the H-1, H-2B, L etc.

He explained that the reputation and the history of the company’s previous US-based employees and its financial documentation would be considered when granting an employment visa. He advised visa applicants to be fair and frank in their documentation. “Do not hide relevant and necessary facts from a visa officer. It is better if you tell them in a systematic way. This lessens the damage when compared to the diplomatic mission knowing about it during their investigations,” he told one participant. Agreeing there are loopholes in checking fraud, he said US diplomatic missions have fraud detecting units which go about efficiently once their suspicions are aroused.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

When Musi flooded the city a century ago
Concern over rise in lion numbers
Chiru cornered on nuke deal
State urged to extend kharif loan deadline
Fee exemption sought for poor students
TDP demands review of Bhu Bharati
Two Sanghi brothers seek ‘fair’ settlement deal
YSR admits to problems in Arogyasri
Naidu hosts lunch for NTR kin
Two Srisailam gates develop leakage
Congress to rope in Krishna, Mahesh fans
YSR leaves for Delhi
Vidyadhar Rao dares Geeta Reddy for debate
Delay in second phase of counselling worries students
US-bound advised on dos and don’ts
Doctors’ strike from today
Increase in utilisation of RTI Act
Web counselling: concern over delay in 2nd phase
‘Tough laws will ensure speedy trial of terrorists’
‘Andaman tribes descendants of first humans’
Dos and don’ts for US-bound
CCMB working on new method to identify cancerous cells
State best in job scheme implementation: study
Leading SC poets to be felicitated on October 2

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu