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The US State Department has quietly implemented recommendations of a presidential commission which has suggested steps like opening up American diplomatic missions outside India for visa appointments to reduce the visa backlog in the country. India was one of the very few countries where applications for US visas saw a major upswing after coronavirus-related travel restrictions were lifted. Moved by a commission member, Ajay Jain Bhutoria from Silicon Valley, the presidential commission observed that inordinate visa appointment delays were causing huge problems for the students and visitors who have plans to come to study in the US and visit the country. The State Department should allow virtual interviews where applicable and allow staff from embassies around the world and the US consular staff to help conduct the virtual interviews at embassies with high backlogs and help clear them, the commission recommended. The recommendations included opening up American diplomatic missions outside India for visa appointments, having more counters and deploying additional resources to process visa applications. The <keyword id="50596" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-embassy" source="Orion">US Embassy</keyword> in India processed over 1 lakh applications just in January 2023, their highest total in a single month and the highest in any month since July 2019. In its December meeting, the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders recommended several steps to reduce the growing delay in visa appointment times in India and other countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It recommended the State Department hire new Full-Time officers/consular or Temporary Staff or contractors or bring back retired consular officers to clear the backlog at Embassies in Asia which have wait times of 400 or more days and shrink the wait time to 2-4 weeks be clearing the visa application backlog. The State Department could also use staff from other embassies around the world to help clear the backlog in countries in Asia which have huge backlogs and delays in visa appointments, it had recommended. The advisory committee noted that in 2012 President Barack Obama issued a memo to reduce the wait time from several months to a few days and this memo streamlined the visa process. The Trump administration had rescinded the President Obama memo, and this is also contributing as one of the factors in causing delays for Visa appointments, it said. As such, it recommended that President Joe Biden should consider issuing a memo to the State Department to shrink the visa appointment wait times to 2-4 weeks maximum for countries with significant backlogs including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries in a similar situation. There have been growing concerns in India over the long waiting period for first-time visa applicants, especially for those applying under B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories. The waiting period for first-time B1/B2 visa applicants in India was close to three years in October last year. In January, the State Department not only implemented remote processing of interview waiver cases for applicants with previous US visas but also launched several initiatives, including scheduling special interviews for first-time applicants and increasing the strength of consular staff. It also conducted "special Saturday interview days" on January 21. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/now-find-ev-charging-stations-in-google-maps-near-you/articleshow/97759525.cms">Now find EV charging stations in Google Maps near you</a>

US State Department implements several recommendations of presidential commission to reduce visa backlog in India

A US-based diaspora body on Tuesday launched an online petition campaign urging the Secretary of State Anthony <keyword id="10620101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blinken" source="Orion">Blinken</keyword> to reduce the long waitlist for various types of American visas being issued from <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. "We request the State Department, Secretary of State Mr Anthony Blinken and the US embassies in India to eliminate wait times for <keyword id="6359421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa" source="Orion">visa</keyword> appointments in India. "Even after a two-year-long Covid-era pause in visa appointments at the US embassies in India, the visa appointment situation is far from normal, requiring 300 to 900 days of wait time based on the visa types," Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies or FIIDS said launching its online petition campaign. As per travel.state.gov reports on October 31, there is an average 900+ days' wait time for appointments for visitors' visa (B1/B2), an average 400 days' wait time for students (F, M,J) and an average 300 days' wait time for petition-based temp workers like H, L, O, P and Q across the USA consulates in India (Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata), it said. In contrast, the US consulates in China only have an average three days' wait time, FIIDS said. "The 900+ days' delay deprives Indian Americans and Indian immigrants in the USA of having their beloved relatives to visit, whether in the time of difficulties, needs, or for celebrations, impacting their quality of life," it said. "The 400+ days' wait time affects students joining the US universities, that not only impacts students' future but also negatively impacts the US universities," FIIDS said, adding, the 300+ days' wait time is impacting productivity and success of various industries and businesses due to lack of skilled workers. "We urge the US State Department and Sec Blinken to resolve this issue. We believe it is not only important for US interests but the right thing to do on moral and compassionate grounds," FIIDS said in its petition on Change.Org. "As per Reuters news on 27th Sept, the Secretary of State blamed the lack of resources and funding due to lost revenues from fees on this 'self-financed program,'" the petition said. "We request the concerned authorities to take all necessary steps and to seek emergency funds to resolve this backlog. We are eager to assist in any way possible and will forge a coalition of individuals who will rise to the occasion to assist in mitigating this issue," it added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-fired-twitter-execs-including-ceo-parag-agrawal-for-cause-in-a-bid-to-avoid-paying-out-tens-of-millions-in-severance-report-says/articleshow/95182325.cms">Elon Musk fired Twitter execs including CEO Parag Agrawal 'for cause' in a bid to avoid paying out tens of millions in severance, report says</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/twitter-staff-have-been-told-to-work-84-hour-weeks-and-managers-slept-at-the-office-over-the-weekend-as-they-scramble-to-meet-elon-musks-tight-deadlines-reports-say/articleshow/95232215.cms">Twitter staff have been told to work 84-hour weeks and managers slept at the office over the weekend as they scramble to meet Elon Musk's tight deadlines, reports say</a>

Diaspora group launches online petition urging Blinken to reduce visa wait time

Around 150 Indians deported from the US, for either violating their <keyword id="6359421" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa">visa</keyword> norms or illegally entering America, landed at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning, an official said here. The special aircraft carrying them landed at the T3 terminal of the Delhi airport at 6am, the official said. The aircraft reached <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> via Bangladesh. All the approximately 150 Indians are at the terminal and paper work with the immigration department is under way, the airport official said, adding they should start coming out of the airport "one by one" after 11 am. These Indians have either violated their visa norms or were illegal immigrants, the official said. On October 18, more than 300 Indians, including one woman, were deported by Mexican immigration authorities for illegally entering the country to sneak into the US.

A special aircraft to Delhi brings home 150 Indians deported from the US

More than 2,30,000 professionals applied for the <keyword id="6358066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="H-1B-visa">H-1B visa</keyword> and that too within just five days of opening up the process earlier this month. US authorities have completed the computerised draw of lots, according to which visas would be allotted. 
 
The number of applications (2,36,000) is more than thrice of what is the Congressionally-mandated cap, which halts at 65,000. 
 
Not only this, even the number of H-1B petitions by foreign students who completed their higher studies from a US academic institute in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has crossed the 20000 limit, reported the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 
 
All the unselected petitions will be rejected and returned with their filing fees, unless the petition is found to be duplicate. 
 
H-1B visa, which is highly popular among Indian IT professionals, is used by tech companies to employ foreign workers in several high-skill occupations in fields like science, engineering and computer programming. 
 
<a href="http://asiasociety.org/files/AsiaConnect%20Jan_0.jpg">Image source</a>

The American Dream: H-1B Visa applications exceeds the master’s cap three times over

<ul><li>The US immigration office has finalised new rules governing H-1B work visas and quotas. </li><li>Starting April 1, it will also reverse the order in which it selects applications. </li><li>Applicants will first have to electronically register with the immigration office in a defined registration period.</li></ul>The US immigration office has finalised new rules governing H-1B work visas and quotas, favouring applications from holders of advanced degrees from US institutions. According to an official statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), all H-1B applications that are subject to cap will now have an “electronic registration” requirement. Starting April 1, it will also reverse the order in which it selects applications. Currently, it processes applications from a regular pool of candidates with a cap of 65,000 first, and has a separate quota for holders of advanced degrees -- a US master’s or higher -- of 20,000, that is used once the regular cap applications are used. Every year, the 65,000 cap is reached quickly, kicking in a lottery system. Now, advanced degree applicants will be clubbed with the regular applications, and the separate quota of 20,000 will only be tapped if there are <a href="https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/immigration-update-uscis-announces-32496/">unselected</a> advanced degree holders from the common pool. According to the statement, the changes will result in an estimated increase of up to 16%, or 5,340 workers, in the number of visas for candidates with advanced degrees from a US institution. The move is also aimed at making the process more efficient and will give US companies hiring H-1B holders with a US master’s or higher degree “a greater chance of selection in the H-1B lottery” in years of excess demand for new H-1B visas. Under the new rules, applicants will first have to electronically register with the immigration office in a defined registration period, and only those who are selected will be eligible to file an H-1B application. US immigration office will begin accepting H-1B cap petitions for FY 2020 on April 1, 2019. Last year, US President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword>’s ‘<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-buy-american-hire-american/">Buy American and Hire American Executive Order</a>, mandated revised rules for foreign workers. Indian ratings agency ICRA has said previously that the move will result in a 10% drop in H-1B visas for regular applicants - those without a master’s degree or higher from a US or higher.

New H-1B rules to go into effect on April 1, visas for advanced degree holders expected to jump 16%

The US has received sufficient number of applications needed to reach the <keyword id="10784391" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="congressionally" source="Orion">Congressionally</keyword> mandated 65,000 H1-B <keyword id="6359421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa" source="Orion">visa</keyword> cap for the fiscal year 2023, the country's federal agency for immigration services said on Tuesday. The <keyword id="6358066" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="h-1b-visa" source="Orion">H-1B visa</keyword> 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 thousands of employees each year from countries like <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> and China. The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians. We have received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the Congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year 2023, the <keyword id="368921" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="us-citizenship-and-immigration-services" source="Orion">US Citizenship and Immigration Services</keyword> (<keyword id="137642" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="uscis" source="Orion">USCIS</keyword>) said in a statement. USCIS has completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2023 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show, Not Selected: Not selected not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration, it said. Meanwhile, the federal agency will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said. Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2023 H-1B cap, it said. However, USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US, change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers, allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions, it added. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/10000-investment-in-gensol-engineering-ev-stock-gave-2-77-lakh-return-in-a-year/articleshow/93740070.cms">This EV firm rose 2600% in a year: ₹10,000 invested in this stock a year ago is worth ₹2.77 lakh</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/dreamfolks-services-ipo-opens-today-check-out-important-details-related-to-the-ipo/articleshow/93740178.cms">DreamFolks Services IPO opens today — Check out important details related to the IPO</a>

US has reached the H-1B visa limit for the financial year of 2023

In a bid to strengthen the ties between India and the US, the Indian government plans to issue visa-on-arrival for tourists from the US soon. Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> had made several announcements regarding the consular and visa issues at Madison Square Garden in New York City in the US. Now it’s time when we can expect some action to materialize the plans that were shared. 
		“Systems are in place to introduce visa on arrival for US tourists in October itself,” said the Prime Minister Office in a statement. 
	
		 Industry experts feel that the move will give a tremendous boost tourism industry in the country. “Extension of the Visa-on-Arrival facility to is an excellent step taken forward by India, and will certainly give a big fillip to inbound tourism, which is languishing far below its potential considering the diversity of experiences that India offers,” said <keyword id="332366" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sharat-Dhall">Sharat Dhall</keyword>, president of <keyword id="143718" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yatra-com">Yatra.com</keyword>, an online travel portal, sometime back. 
		He had added that visa on arrival will allow travellers from the US to do impulse travelling to India and open up the country to tourists who decide at the last minute. “In addition, the proposal to allow travellers to apply for visas online and receive the electronic visa within 5 days, eases up the entire process of travelling to India. Arising out of this welcome step, we expect this to significantly boost demand for hotels, flights and land transport within India and act as a catalyst to economic growth as well,” noted Dhall. 
	
		 
		Interestingly, tourists from the US have accounted for a major portion of the inbound tourism in the country. According to the statistics by the tourism ministry, the foreign tourist arrival (FTA) from USA was over 10 lakh in 2013 registering a growth of 15.58% over 2012. 
	
		 Apart from issuing visa on arrival, the government will also issue lifelong <keyword id="49485" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PIO">PIO</keyword> (Person of Indian Origin) cards to Indian NRIs living in the US. 
		“All PIO cards are now valid for the lifetime of the cardholder, instead of 15 years. This effectively fulfils the Prime Minister's announcement that PIO cardholders would enjoy a lifelong visa to India,” stated the PM’s office. The PIO cardholders wouldn’t be required to visit a police station even when their India visit exceeds 180 days.

Visa On Arrival Plan For US Tourists To
Materialize By October End

<ul><li>The US government is mulling nearly 10%-15% cap on H1-B visas for selective nations — including India. </li><li>The move is targeted on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally. </li><li>Of the 85,000 H1-B visas that are granted every year, nearly 70% go to the Indians. </li><li>This has hit the IT sector employees the most with nearly 40% <keyword id="61274" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Visa">US visa</keyword> rejections. </li></ul>In bad news for Indians, the United States of America(USA) is reportedly considering nearly 10%-15% cap on H1-B visas for selective nations — including India. Amid the rising tensions over trade and tariffs, the government is considering the move on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-india-exclusive/exclusive-us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules-sources-idUSKCN1TK2LG">Reuters report</a>. The US government is considering the move on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-india-exclusive/exclusive-us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules-sources-idUSKCN1TK2LG">Reuters report</a>. The H1-B visas are issued to the skilled Indians planning to work in the US, every year. "The proposal is that any country that does data localisation, then it (H-1B visas) would be limited to about 15% of the quota. It's being discussed internally in the US government," Reuters reported citing sources. This comes just ahead of Mike Pompeo’s India visit. In a recent US-India Business Council event, he told that the US government will focus on consumer privacy, thereby allowing free flow of data across borders. The US, however, has not put a limit on visa grants to a specific country, TOI reported. Of the 85,000 H1-B visas that are granted every year, nearly<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules/articleshow/69865212.cms"> 70% go to the Indians</a>. The Trump government has been aggressively cracking down on the immigration rules. Recently, it directed the visa applicants to share their <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-visa-seekers-will-now-have-to-submit-their-social-media-handles/articleshow/69632144.cms">social media handles</a> that they have used in the last five years. This will enable the government to have access to applicants’ email address, phone number and locations among others. This has hit the Indian IT sector employees the most with nearly 40% US visa rejections. According to the US think-tank <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tcs-and-infosys-face-most-rejections-on-h1-b-work-visa-extension/articleshow/68316202.cms">Centre for Immigration Studies</a>, top IT firms Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant and Infosys faced the most rejections in extension of <keyword id="7779297" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="H1-B-work-visas">H1-B work visas</keyword>. Given that, "The next phase will be that Indian IT firms will go acquire more companies in the US. And, those companies will have back-end engineering in India,” Mohandas Pai, the former CEO of Infosys and a startup investor <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">told</a>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">Rise in US H-1B visa rejection may force Indian tech companies to look at M&amp;A</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-visa-seekers-will-now-have-to-submit-their-social-media-handles/articleshow/69632144.cms">US visa seekers will now have to submit their social media handles</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tcs-and-infosys-face-most-rejections-on-h1-b-work-visa-extension/articleshow/68316202.cms">New H1-B rules bring more rejections on work visa renewals</a>

Trump plans a 15% cap on H-1B visas — and Indians will be hurt the most

<ul><li>The H-1B visa rejection rate is not equal for all companies looking to hire workers from India. </li><li>Data from the US Immigration service shows that the rate of H-1B visa rejections are much higher for Indian IT firms than firms based out of the US. </li><li>Mohandas Pai, the former CFO of <keyword id="6354512" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword>, told Business Insider that the ‘Buy American, Hire American' policy is targeting certain companies. </li><li>Shivendra Singh — Vice President and Head of Global Trade Development at NASSCOM — on the other hand, feels that since most US visas are still going to Indian citizens, it's a testimony to their skill set. </li></ul>On the surface, it looks like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-immigration-denial-of-h1-b-visas-raises-legal-questions/articleshow/68844794.cms">sudden increase H-1B visa rejection rate</a> by the US is having an equal impact on everybody. But that data and sources tell Business Insider that may not necessarily be true. Mohandas Pai, the former CFO of Infosys and start up investor, told Business Insider India, "The data is very clear that certain companies are being targeted for being service providers." Numbers from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) back Pai's claim. They show that the US President, Donald Trump's new policy to ‘Buy American, Hire American' is only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">mitigating visa petitions from Indian IT firms</a> like <keyword id="10863" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CapGemini">Capgemini</keyword>, Cognizant, Infosys and Deloitte. US based firms like Facebook and Amazon, on the other hand, are having no issues picking up Indian talent from the market and taking it to the US. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[
<div class="flourish-embed" data-src="visualisation/414969"></div>
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 Attracting the right talent Shivendra Singh, the Vice President and Head of Global Trade Development at NASSCOM, says that while the rejection rate of H-1B visa petitions from Indian IT firms may be rising, most US visas are still being issued to citizens from India. He told Business Insider India, "Although Indian companies have reduced their number of visa usage, Indian nationals continue to get 70% of the visas — which is more a testimony to their skill set." Singh explains, "They have the relevant skill set, which is why they're in demand. It's not just Indian companies but US and global companies that want to hire them (Indian nationals)." The disparity in numbers between the H-1B visa rejection rate for Indian IT companies and US based firms also further exemplifies India's competitive advantage. Pai elucidates, "India has extreme expertise. They can do software better, faster and in a more cost effective way than anybody else." But, not being able to retain that talent may be an issue. "Any country which is able to attract the right skill set in large numbers will be the country which will succeed," according to Singh. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">Rise in US H-1B visa rejection may force Indian tech companies to look at M&amp;A</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-immigration-denial-of-h1-b-visas-raises-legal-questions/articleshow/68844794.cms">US Immigration is denying more H1-B visas than ever before — without notice or authority</a>

You Searched For "india us visa" and got 9 results

US State Department implements several recommendations of presidential commission to reduce visa backlog in India

PTI

Diaspora group launches online petition urging Blinken to reduce visa wait time

IANS

A special aircraft to Delhi brings home 150 Indians deported from the US

PTI

The American Dream: H-1B Visa applications exceeds the master’s cap three times over

BI India Bureau

New H-1B rules to go into effect on April 1, visas for advanced degree holders expected to jump 16%

BI India Bureau

US has reached the H-1B visa limit for the financial year of 2023

PTI

Visa On Arrival Plan For US Tourists To Materialize By October End

Purba Das

Trump plans a 15% cap on H-1B visas — and Indians will be hurt the most

Prerna Sindwani

H-1B visas: US immigration seems to like certain companies more than others

Prabhjote Gill

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