The Hindu : U.S. Embassy tightens visa-issuing procedures

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 11, 2003

National

National

U.S. Embassy tightens visa-issuing procedures

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JULY 10. Those looking to apply for a visa to go to the United States will find it a little bit tougher now to use the option of drop-box facility. With the U.S. embassies and consulates across the world reviewing visa-issuing practices after September11, there will be an emphasis on personal interviews with consular officers.

Announcing this here today, a senior U.S. Embassy official said: ``These changes will come into effect in India from July 14. Drop-box facilities will only be available to those who are renewing or replacing a visa of the same category which is still valid or expired less than a year ago.

Exception will also be made for people 60 years of age or older, provided they have not been previously refused a visa. Children under 14 years, whose parents have U.S. visas and are physically present in India, can also use the facility.''

Central Government officials travelling for official purposes, regardless of the type of passport they hold, are eligible for this service, a senior U.S. Embassy official stated. The application should be accompanied by a diplomatic note, he added.

Potential travellers to the country who do not fall under these exceptions will be required to make an appointment for an interview. To ensure that these new procedures don't cause unnecessary delay, the U.S. Embassy is hiring more staff.

``We will be hiring more American and Indian staff to facilitate these changes. We also urge travellers who want to travel after October to wait for a while to book their appointment. There will be a rush, especially students till the end of August, but by September we expect it to get better,'' said senior U.S officials.

With Indian students outnumbering Chinese last year, this community forms an important share in the total number of visas issued. Over the past two years, the number of Indian students in the U.S. has grown by almost 58 per cent, officials said.

To ensure that students get to college on time, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi will have a special day for students this July. ``The last day of the month is usually meant for administrative work, but we have decided to keep it aside for students this time. Students applying should contact us and we will give them a time for interviews. Students in Chennai who have not got appointments can apply to New Delhi or Kolkata. But dates for appointments will only be available in August,'' stated a senior official.

Those companies that have registered with the U.S. Embassy and have employees visiting the country frequently for business visits will be put on a priority list, officials added.

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

National