 "US adds 250,000 new visa slots for Indians: Here's how you can benefit")
The US Mission in India has opened 250,000 additional visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students, according to a statement released on Monday. These new slots are expected to help Indian applicants secure timely interviews, promoting travel between the two nations, which is a vital element of US-India relations.
"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," said Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India. "Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging demand."
The mission has already surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year. During the student visa season this summer, record numbers were processed, with first-time student applicants successfully securing appointments at one of five consular sections in India.
"We are now focused on bringing families together, connecting businesses, and facilitating tourism," officials said.
How Indians can benefit from the additional 250,000 visa slots opened by the US Mission:
— Indian travellers can schedule visa interviews more quickly, reducing the wait time.
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— Indian students planning to study in the US will have more opportunities to secure timely visa interviews
— Skilled workers and professionals travelling for business purposes can benefit from quicker visa processing
— Families separated across borders can use these additional slots to expedite visa interviews, helping them reunite sooner.
— Indian tourists planning to visit the US can now get their visas processed faster
— The additional appointments aim to reduce the existing backlog
Increased demand for US visas from India
More than 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the US in 2024 so far, a 35% rise compared to the same period last year. Currently, at least six million Indians hold nonimmigrant visas to visit the United States, with the Mission issuing thousands more each day.
Indian students now form the largest group of international graduate students in the US, making up over 25% of the one million foreign students studying there. The US continues to be one of the top four destinations preferred by Indian students, alongside Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In 2023, the US issued more than 1.4 lakh student visas to Indians, surpassing any other country for the third consecutive year, as confirmed by figures from the US Embassy and Consulates in India.
Reaction from the Indian-American community
The move to release additional visa slots has been welcomed by the Indian-American community. Ajay Bhutoria, a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), expressed his gratitude in a tweet, saying, "This is the direct result of one of my recommendations submitted earlier on the White House AANHPI commission."
He added, "I am grateful to the US Embassy in India, particularly Ambassador Garcetti, for their dedicated efforts in addressing visa appointment wait times. The recent opening of 250,000 additional appointments is a significant step forward in supporting Indian travellers, including families and students, seeking to visit the US."
Bhutoria also noted that while the move is positive, more work remains to be done in addressing visa backlogs and wait times. As a commissioner, he had submitted recommendations aimed at reducing visa appointment wait times and green card backlog reduction, including the possibility of video appointments to streamline the process.
Australia to offer work and holiday visas to Indian citizens
Meanwhile, Australia will begin offering up to 1,000 work and holiday visas to Indian citizens annually starting from October 1, 2024, as part of its commitment under the India-Australia interim free trade agreement.
The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), which came into effect in December 2022, allows Indian nationals aged 18-30 to apply for a one-year visa to work, study, and travel across Australia.