‘One needs to carry old and new passports in case of changes’

April 25, 2016 12:00 am | Updated 05:36 am IST

My surname wasn’t printed on my passport. So I had renewed my passport with the changes. My US visa, valid until 2020, is printed in my old passport. Is my existing visa valid which has the name as per my old passport? Do I have to apply for a new visa?

Suresh Chanda

No, you do not need to apply for new visa. The visa will remain valid even if it is in your old, cancelled passport. Please note, however, that when travelling to the US, you will need to carry your new passport and your old passport with the valid US visa. If you do not want to carry two passports, you should consider applying for a new US visa through the Interview Waiver Program (IWP). Please see our website for more information.

I attended the B1 visa interview in March 2016. I was told that that my visa was approved. However, when I checked the status online it is showing as administrative processing. Is there a timeline for the status change. My company wants me to travel soon. How can I track my case?

Srinivas Bhavanam

The time required for administrative processing varies from case-to-case. You can track the status of your case at ceac.state.gov. In addition, you can contact the call centre at the email address provided above for other inquiries.

I am pursuing master’s degree in the US. I lost my Indian passport in the US which had my visa in it. I obtained a new passport. I filed a police report. What is the procedure to get a new US visa stamped on new passport?

Mutahir Ahmed

You will have to apply for a new visa by paying the visa fee and making an appointment through our website. It’s likely you will qualify to use Interview Waiver Program (IWP), which means you won’t have to come in for an interview. Please visit our website for information on renewing your visa. If you do not qualify for IWP, you will need to appear in person for a visa appointment. In either case, you will have to provide a copy of a police report stating that you lost your passport.

I attended the visa interview at the Chennai Consulate in January 2016. The visa officer told me that my H1B approval was not reflecting in their system, and that it would take 2-3 days to update. The officer took my passport and provided me with a case number (221G). It’s been three months and I haven’t received any update on my visa and passport collection. Due to this, I had to postpone my trip to the US. My employer in the US is asking me to return soon. How can I track my case?

Nandini Bhatta

Unfortunately, we cannot provide a specific time frame for completion of administrative processing. While we understand how frustrating these delays can be, please be assured we process each case as quickly as possible. To inquire further about your specific case, please contact the call center mentioned above or visit Consulate Chennai’s website.

Do you have questions about visas or other services provided by the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad? Each alternate Monday, Consulate officials will answer your questions. Email your questions to Queries2consul@gmail.com. If you have questions related to specific visa cases or refusals, please email support-india@ustraveldocs.com. You can also visit the Consulate website: http://hyderabad.

usconsulate.gov.

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