Us Visa Norm

US travel industry expected to bounce back faster due to visa reforms

In the 12 months up to Sept. 30, the US State Department issued a record 11.5 million visas, 8.5 million of which were visitor visas, said Blinken. The median wait time for first-time visitors

US mission opens additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers

The US Mission to India has already surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year, according to the US embassy in New Delhi statement

H-2B visa cap for FY 2025 reached, says USCIS: Here's what you must know

USCIS has confirmed that the final date for receiving petitions for H-2B visa was September 18

US extends work permit renewals to 540 days for immigrants: What this means

The proposed changes update employment rules for dependent spouses, increase flexibility for who resign, are terminated, or are religious workers awaiting visas or at the end of their stay

New US Bill could increase H-1B visas for Indian graduates: Details here

The bill, HR 9023, known as the Keep STEM Graduates in America Act, aims to modify the H-1B visa process

US streamlines B-1, B-2 visa waivers in New Delhi: What you must know

B-1/B-2 visas are for individuals wishing to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1), tourism (B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2)

H-1B visa rules from April 1: Pay more, file correctly or risk rejection

Starting April 1, 2024, applicants will face new rules, which include changes to where you can file your application, a hike in the fee for Form I-129 from $460 to $780, and more

H-1B visa registration deadline is March 22 for Indians: All you must know

Indians eyeing the 'American dream', take note: The deadline for H-1B visa registration is set for March 22

'US working to further reduce visitor visa wait time for Indians'

The United States is working towards further reducing the wait time for visitor visas for Indians following a decrease of 75 per cent last year, according to US Bureau of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Rena Bitter. In an interview with PTI, Bitter noted that today more Indians can travel to the United States than in any other time in history. "Last year, the Embassy in India processed 1.4 million visas, explosion of an incredible number...in every category there is no wait time at all except in one area of travel where there is still some wait time and that is people travelling for the first time to the United States for tourism," she said. "It has been reduced 75 per cent over the last year and we are working really hard on this. We recognise that it is an incredibly important bilateral relationship and the foundation of the relationship is the people-to-people ties, the business travel and the family ties. All these things are important to us and in Washington we are doing a

US announces overhaul of its annual lottery for H-1B visas to reduce fraud

The US has announced a major overhaul of its annual lottery for the H-1B speciality occupation visas, popular among Indian IT professionals, to curtail the potential for fraud and improve and streamline the registration system. Separately, the US on January 29 has formally launched a pilot programme to renew the much sought-after H-1B visas domestically, a move that is likely to benefit thousands of Indian tech professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The new overhauled system, among other things, includes the provision of a beneficiary-centric selection process for registrations by employers. As a result, unlike in the past when multiple applications by an individual often resulted in abuse in fraud of the system, the H-1B vis

US starts 5-week H1-B visas renewal drive, to accept 20,000 applications

The announcement by the US Department of State on the pilot program for in-country renewal of certain petition-based temporary work visas, including for Indian nationals, was made in June 2023

US may hike visa fee in 2024, H1-B pre-registration fee to go up 2050%

Higher fees would result in increased financial burden for individuals applying for the H1-B visa. The overall cost of hiring Indian talent for the U.S. market would increase,

US Embassy in India implements new changes in student visa process

Any applicant who has created a profile or booked an appointment using an incorrect passport number should create a new profile containing the correct passport information

Record visa applications processed for Indians in 2023: US Embassy

The announcement was made on the same day as US Ambassador Eric Garcetti revealed plans to bolster staff and open new consulates, including in Ahmedabad

Incomplete DS-160 forms are leading to US visa appointment delays

The DS-160 or Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form is used for temporary travel to the United States for various purposes, such as tourism, business, or study

Visa interviews within standard time frame: US Consulate General Mumbai

The US Consulate General Mumbai said that it has cleared all visa backlog and applicants can now schedule their appointments for immigrant visa interviews within the standard time frame

US extends visa walk-in interview waiver for more applicants; check here

It is applicable for those who want to renew their US visa within 48 months of expiry

H-2B visas open for late second half returning workers for FY 2023

The US will begin accepting petitions for H-2B visa workers for the late second half of fiscal year 2023 under the supplemental cap temporary final rule

'American dream': US visas for Indians now come through China

The US administration has waived the in-person interviews requirement whenever possible to reduce the wait time for visa clearances

Delay in business visa issuance discussed with US, says Piyush Goyal

India discussed with the US the inordinate delays in issuance of business visas to the people from India, and there has been a good resonance of it by the Americans, visiting Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Wednesday. "We found very good resonance to our request that issuance of business visas which is taking a long time back home in India is an area which needs to be expedited so that business persons interested on both sides -- the US businesses and Indian businesses -- need to have faster processing of business reasons, so that trade and investment and business does not suffer," Goyal told reporters at the conclusion of India-US Trade Policy Forum meeting that he co-chaired with the US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. India, Goyal said, has made the request to the US that they may speed up the issuance of regular business visas when people come in for short trips to pursue their trade and business interests. "We are delighted that the movement of ...