Us Embassy

We do not have any immediate plans: US on reopening embassy in Syria

Since ouster of Bashar al-Assad days ago, US has repeatedly said that it is waiting to evaluate the actions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main victorious opposition group in Syria before deciding

US universities urge foreign students to return before Trump's swearing-in

Trump will take the oath of office on January 20 and has announced that he will sign several executive orders on issues of economy and immigration

US embassy in Ukraine's Kyiv shuts down over anticipated air attack

Russia had been warning the West for months that if Washington allowed Ukraine to fire US, British and French missiles, it would consider those Nato members to be directly involved in the war

Haiti shuts main airport as gang violence escalates; new PM sworn in

Haiti's international airport shut down on Monday after gangs opened fire at a commercial flight landing in Port-Au-Prince, prompting some airlines to temporarily suspend operations as the country swore in a new interim prime minister who promised to restore peace. The Spirit Airlines flight headed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-Au-Prince was just hundreds of feet from landing in Haiti's capital when gangs shot at the plane striking a flight attendant, who suffered minor injuries, according to the airline, the U.S Embassy and flight tracking data. The flight was diverted and landed in the Dominican Republic. Photos and videos obtained by The Associated Press show bullet holes dotting the interior of a plane. The shooting appeared to be part of what the U.S Embassy called gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince which may include armed violence, and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports. Spirit, JetBlue and American Airlines said Monday they were ...

Record student visas to Indians last yr; even higher this time: US Embassy

After issuing a record 1,40,000 student visas last year, the US consular team in India is all geared up to meet the expected rise in number of applications from Indian students in 2024, with a senior official at the embassy here saying that the projected total number this year will be "similar or in excess" in comparison to last year. The US Mission in India on Thursday held its eighth annual Student Visa Day countrywide with consular officers from New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai interviewing Indian student visa applicants. At the US Embassy in Delhi, a long queue of students was seen since morning. American universities attract a large number of Indian students, and last year, the US consular team in India issued over 1,40,000 student visas -- higher than for any other country setting a record for the third year in a row. Syed Mujtaba Andrabi, acting Consul General at US Embassy in New Delhi, in an interaction with PTI at the embassy, said, "by the end of the da

US Embassy sets new record in India, issues 140,000 student visas in 2023

The US Embassy and Consulates in India processed over 1.4 million visas, with visitor visas making up the highest number at 700,000

Protesters in Lebanon decry Gaza blast with security forces near US Embassy

Hundreds of protesters clashed Wednesday with Lebanese security forces in a Beirut suburb near the US Embassy during demonstrations in support of both Gaza's civilian residents and the militant group Hamas in its war with Israel. The protest in the Aukar neighbourhood came as US President Joe Biden made a show of solidarity with Israel during his visit there Wednesday, a day after an explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital killed hundreds of people and prompted mass protests. Biden offered his assessment that the explosion was not the result of a strike by the Israeli military. The Palestinian group Hamas, which rules Gaza, and many Arab countries accuse Israel of striking the hospital, while the Israeli military claims it was a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in Gaza. Demonstrators holding Palestinian flags and the flags of various Palestinian factions took down a security wall and cut a barbed wire barrier on a winding road that leads to the U.S. Embassy outsid

Shots fired outside US embassy in Lebanon, no injuries reported: Nelson

An unknown gunman opened fire outside the US embassy in Beirut late Wednesday night. Embassy spokesperson Jake Nelson said in a statement that "small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance" of the sprawling and heavily fortified compound in the suburb of Awkar. "There were no injuries, and our facility is safe," he said. "We are in close contact with host country law enforcement authorities." Earlier this year marked the 40th anniversary of a deadly bombing attack on the US embassy in Beirut on April 18. US officials blame the attack, which killed 63 people, on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Following that attack, the embassy was moved from central Beirut to the Christian suburb of Awkar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack struck the new location on September 20. 1984. In recent years, there have been no reported attacks on the embassy.

US Embassy in India shifting customer service center to new platform

The US Embassy in India on Monday informed visa applicants that its customer service center is shifting to a new platform

US visa appointments for mid-July to mid-August open for students

At present, more than 20 per cent of international students studying in US are Indian, according to US Embassy estimates

Honour to be back in India at such historic time in US-India ties: Garcetti

Shortly after presenting his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu, US Ambassador Eric Garcetti on Thursday said he would focus on raising the bilateral partnership to "new heights" with both sides working together on "defining issues" of the time. The US embassy in India was without an ambassador since January 2021 after then envoy Kenneth Juster's resignation following a change of guard at the White House. "It was an honour to present my credentials to the president and it is an honour to be back in India at such an exciting and historic time in the US-India relationship," Garcetti said. "I look forward to working with the Indian people to raise our partnership to new heights," he added. Separately, in a tweet, the ambassador said he is excited about working towards deepening the US-India ties. "Thank you to the Government of India for your close and fruitful partnership with the United States. I'm excited to deepen #USIndia ties as we work together on defining issues of our .

Application for visa renewal can be submitted through dropbox: US Embassy

People seeking renewal of US visa can now submit their applications through dropbox, the US Embassy has said while clarifying that such requests would not be entertained through email. According to John Ballard, the consular chief at the US Consulate General in Mumbai, the US embassy and consulates in India have prepared to receive a record number of visas from Indian students in 2023. The US embassy adjudicated over 1,25,000 student visas in 2022. "It was the most students that we have ever adjudicated here in India and we expect in 2023, we will have even more Indian students that will be coming into apply for visas," Ballard told PTI.

US launches new initiative to cut delays in visa processing in India

With an aim to cut delays in visa processing in India, the US has launched new initiatives, including scheduling special interviews for first time applicants and increasing strength of consular staff. As part of the multi-pronged approach to cut the visa backlog, the US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad conducted "special Saturday interview days" on January 21. "On January 21, the US mission in India launched the first in a series of special Saturday interview days, as part of a larger effort to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants," the US embassy said on Sunday. "The United States Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad all opened consular operations on Saturday to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews," it said in a statement. The mission will continue to open "additional slots" for appointments to take place on select Saturdays in the coming months. "These ...

South Korea asks US to take up more active role in managing nuclear weapons

South Korean President Yoon said the strategy of "nuclear umbrella" or "extended deterrence" is no longer reassuring for the public now that North Korea has developed nuclear weapons

Suspicious envelope found at US Embassy in Spain amid probe: Official

Spanish officials say a suspicious envelope has been discovered at the US Embassy in Madrid and placed under police control. The finding on Thursday came as police reported a wave of explosive packages being sent in Spain's capital, including one that ignited at the Ukrainian Embassy. Police said other explosive devices concealed in postal packages were sent over the past two days to Spain's Defence Ministry, a European Union satellite centre in Spain and an arms factory that makes grenades sent to Ukraine. The Spanish Interior Ministry said police detonated the envelope detected at the US Embassy. There were no reports of injuries. Authorities also said that a similar explosive device was dispatched by regular post to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on November 24, but was disposed of by bomb squad experts. The latest discoveries raise to five the number of explosive devices that were sent by post around the country over the past few days. The Russian embassy in Madrid on .

Managing the queue: Visa wait time to reduce by June 2023, says US embassy

The State Department has brought in new rules for several visa categories that allow more people to opt out of interviews

Elizabeth Jones is Charg d'Affaires ad interim at US Embassy in Delhi

: The Biden administration has appointed senior foreign service officer Elizabeth Jones the Charg d'Affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in New Delhi, an official announcement said. Jones, who was the coordinator for Afghan relocation efforts recently, will depart to New Delhi soon, the State Department said in an announcement on Monday. Jones has earlier served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East and Ambassador to Kazakhstan. She carries the highest foreign service rank of Career Ambassador. In India, Ambassador Jones will join our Embassy and Consulate interagency teams in advancing and expanding the partnership between our governments and people, a partnership that Secretary Blinken has called one of the most consequential in the world, the Department of State said.

Issued highest number of student visas to Indians in 2022, says US Embassy

The United States has issued a record of 82,000 student visas to Indians in 2022, highest than any country, the US Embassy in India has said. "We are happy to see so many students were able to receive visas and reach their universities after the delays caused in previous years by the COVID-19 pandemic.We issued over 82,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year. "This shows that the United States remains for most Indian families the most sought-after country for higher education," Patricia Lacina, Charge d'affaires of US Embassy in India said. "It also highlights the important contributions Indian students make to both our countries as they build life-long connections with American peers to maintain and grow international partnerships, working collectively to address current and future global challenges," Lacina added. Indian students comprise nearly 20 per cent of all international students studying in the United States, with the Open Doors report in 2021

China reopens doors to foreign students for first time in more than 2 years

Foreign nationals holding a valid Chinese residence permit for study or an APEC business travel card will be allowed to enter China starting today

Russia may step up strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure, facilities: US

The US State Department has issued a security alert warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. The US Embassy in Kyiv on Monday urged US citizens still in Ukraine to depart the country immediately. If you hear a loud explosion or if sirens are activated, immediately seek cover, the State Department said in its alert. If in a home or a building, go to the lowest level of the structure with the fewest exterior walls, windows, and openings; close any doors and sit near an interior wall, away from any windows or openings. The State Department issued the alert after the US intelligence community on Monday declassified a finding that determined that Russia would increasingly target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, according to a US official familiar with the intelligence. The official was not authorized to comment publicly about the finding and spoke on the condition of anonymity.