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The number of visas issued each month is estimated to be one lakh
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In the past year, the US has granted over 82,000 visas
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Indian applications for US visas increased significantly after travel restrictions related to the coronavirus were lifted
- PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
India was the number one priority for Washington now as far as visas are concerned, a senior official of the US Embassy said on November 10. The official added that the wait time to get a US visa will see a significant reduction by the summer of 2023. Ideally, Washington hopes to have the situation back to pre-COVID levels by the middle of 2023, reported cnbctv18.com.
The number of visas issued each month is estimated to be one lakh. In the past year, the US has granted over 82,000 visas. Indian applications for US visas increased significantly after travel restrictions related to the coronavirus were lifted. “We are looking at 1.1 to 1.2 million visas to Indians by next summer,” said the official.
In view of the prolonged wait times for visa processing, the US has also initiated a variety of initiatives, including increasing staff and extending the ‘drop box’ facilities. Drop box cases are requests where interviews are not needed.
India is predicted to move up to second place in terms of the number of visas the US grants. The official noted that focus was also being given to decreasing the wait times for student visas, particularly for those seeking visa renewals, adding that India now lags behind Mexico and China
For some categories, the wait time has already decreased from 450 days to about nine months, the official said on November 10.
In September during a Facebook and Instagram live through the US Embassy of India, Don Heflin, Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs, US Embassy, had said that the embassy was understaffed due to the pandemic which had been the reason behind longer wait times.
According to the latest data on the US Department of State-Bureau of Consular Affairs website, there is an over 800-day appointment wait time for non-immigrant visitor visa applicants to the United States in India.
India is predicted to move up to second place in terms of the number of visas the US grants. The official noted that focus was also being given to decreasing the wait times for student visas, particularly for those seeking visa renewals, adding that India now lags behind Mexico and China.
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