Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

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

EU member states are preparing to suspend a 2007 visa facilitation agreement with <keyword id="6358826" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> over the Ukraine war, a British daily reported on Sunday. EU foreign ministers are set to give the suspension political backing at a two-day informal meeting in Prague on Tuesday and Wednesday, the <keyword id="35662" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="financial-times" source="Orion">Financial Times</keyword> said, citing three officials involved in the talks. The move widens the partial suspension imposed in February for Russian government officials and business leaders to now include civilian Russian applicants for EU visas, the Financial Times was quoted as saying by dpa news agency. Suspensions make the EU visa process more complicated, more expensive and more bureaucratic, as well as also increase the waiting time for approval, according to <keyword id="59149" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="european-commission" source="Orion">European Commission</keyword> guidelines. Further measures to restrict EU travel for Russian nationals, such as a limit on the amount of EU visas to be issued or to ban travel entirely, have not been decided, the report said, citing the officials participating in the negotiations. The Czech Republic, Finland and Estonia, after imposing their own visa restrictions, have pushed for an EU-wide decision and called for a total ban on Russian nationals travelling to the bloc. Germany and the commission, however, have urged caution against banning tourist visas or prohibiting Russian nationals from travelling to the bloc completely. Critics have also raised humanitarian concerns. The <keyword id="6355110" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="european-union" source="Orion">European Union</keyword> has already slapped Russia with multiple rounds of political and economic sanctions after February's invasion of Ukraine including a ban on Russian airlines from EU airspace. The idea of restricting Russian tourists to the EU has emerged recently after countries witnessed Russians arriving for summer holidays via neighbouring EU countries. A visa issued by any one country grants access to all 26 members of the <keyword id="288232" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="schengen" source="Orion">Schengen</keyword> passport-free zone. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/over-half-of-bitcoins-daily-trading-volume-fake-globally-report/articleshow/93849099.cms">Over half of Bitcoin's daily trading volume fake globally: Report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/vodafone-denies-a-research-firm-report-which-said-20-mn-of-its-customers-call-data-was-leaked/articleshow/93848765.cms">Vodafone denies a research firm report which said 20 mn of its customers' call data was leaked</a>

EU ready to suspend visa agreement with Russia: Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>When John Dutton married, he and his wife legally combined their last names with a hyphen.</li><li>They divorced, but he decided not to go back to just Dutton.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Dutton. It has been edited for length and clarity.My <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-legally-changed-name-found-true-identity-2024-4">name change story</a> began in December 1985 when I was a 19-year-old student living in my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-phrases-british-people-dont-understand-at-work-2023-11">native UK</a>.My girlfriend, Sylvie Bourassa, then 18, was French-Canadian, and we visited her family in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-from-massachusetts-montreal-experienced-culture-shock-2024-2">Montreal</a> for a two-week Christmas vacation.Everything was fine until we returned to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jfk-heathrow-airport-comparison-2018-4">Heathrow Airport in London</a>, where a customs officer questioned Sylvie and me. She didn't have a visa, and he said they would send her back to Canada on the next plane."But we're in love," we said, desperate to appeal to his good nature. I don't know whether he took pity on us because we were so young, but he gave us some advice."She can enter the UK if you guys get married within three months," he said. "If not, she'll <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-germany-from-us-school-almost-deported-dont-regret-2023-11">be deported</a>."<h2 id="7ebded93-4ddb-438b-8402-f36837c2f09c">We decided to hyphenate our last names when we got married</h2>We couldn't imagine being apart, so we started planning our wedding. It took place on March 8, 1986, near my parents' home in southwest England.Sylvie and I had discussed changing her last name when we got married. We thought it was unfair that women changed their names and men didn't.So we decided to hyphenate them and become Mr. and Mrs. Bourassa-Dutton. We did it through the British system of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hated-first-name-wanted-to-change-worried-insult-parents-2024-4">deed poll</a>, which cost about $50. It was relatively straightforward because we only needed a witness's signature. It felt romantic and symbolic.Unfortunately, the marriage didn't last long. We amicably separated after two years. I know it works out for some people, but I guess playing at being grown-ups was too hard for us both.<div type="image" title="A bride and groom. The bride is wearing a red dress and hat." height="1140" width="1520" msid="110124952" hostid="261" sizebytes="56728"></div>We <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/divorced-twice-middle-aged-found-healthy-relationship-2024-5">officially divorced</a> in 1991, but I didn't revert to John Dutton. By then, I was living and working in French-speaking Quebec. I'm convinced that keeping a bit of French in my last name helped my career, first in media production and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.johnbdutton.com/">then in writing</a>.I got married for a second time in 1992. By law in Quebec, women keep their maiden names after marriage. Even if she'd wanted to, my new wife. I couldn't have changed her last name to Bourassa-Dutton.We divorced six years later when I was 31. We didn't have any children.Next, I got into another serious relationship. We decided to try for a family together.<h2 id="c55d6145-e191-47d9-b248-a21b3238810d">My children's last names are now Dutton</h2>Then, it struck me that if and when we had kids, they would have my last name, Bourassa-Dutton. It seemed awkward to have my first wife's name as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mourning-queer-identity-becoming-parent-2023-1">part of their identity</a>, and I could foresee some embarrassing questions they would have as they got older.So, in 2001, I went through the legal process of changing my name back to Dutton. It cost hundreds of dollars — much more than the amount we paid 15 years earlier in the UK. I also had to announce my intentions in an ad in the newspaper.Our son was born in 2003. He was 3 when his mom and I got married. We went on to have a daughter in 2008. The children's last names are, of course, Dutton.It's a bit of a saga but quite funny — a good story to tell at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-making-friends-cooking-hosting-dinner-parties-strangers-new-york-2023-4">dinner parties</a>.Do you have an interesting story about your name that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Please send details to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jridley@insider.com">jridley@businessinsider.com</a>.

My first wife and I combined last names when we married. I waited 13 years after we split to change mine back.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mobile Passport Control lets travelers skip customs lines with a free app on their phone.</li><li>The app, available since 2014, is underused despite being available at 33 major US airports.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-approved-for-global-entry-quickly-2023-6">Global Entry</a> isn't the only way <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/traveling-full-time-not-worth-it-wouldnt-do-again-2024-4">international travelers</a> can skip long lines at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).The popular program that allows travelers reentering the US to breeze through customs has a $100 application fee and requires an in-person interview at an airport or government building for approval, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry">according to the CBP website</a>."It's a great option for those who frequently travel internationally, but it doesn't make sense for everybody," <a target="_blank" href="https://thepointsguy.com/author/scudahy/">Sean Cudahy</a>, an aviation reporter at The Points Guy who has Global Entry and has already flown 65,000 miles this year, told Business Insider.For occasional international travelers, there's a free way to save time at CBP, and no application or interview is required — all you need is your phone.<h2 id="55e3506a-6cc0-4568-a93f-26802878b246">Mobile Passport Control</h2><div type="image" title="A couple speaks to a CBP officer as they try to use their new mobile app at an entry point" height="3840" width="5760" msid="111349195" hostid="261" sizebytes="426996"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-mobile-passport-travel-app-works-bypass-customs-global-entry-2020-2">Mobile Passport Control</a> is an app available on Google Play and the Apple App Store. It allows many travelers to submit their CBP forms electronically and enter a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tried-clear-tsa-precheck-and-global-entry-2023-6">shorter customs line</a> upon arrival in 33 major international US airports, including John F. Kennedy, Phoenix Sky Harbor, and Dallas Fort Worth, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control">according to the CBP website</a>."On any given day, you might see a 30-minute line for customs, and most of the people that are standing in that line are eligible for the Mobile Passport Control line, which is sometimes only a couple of people at any given moment." Cudahy, <a target="_blank" href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/what-is-mobile-passport-control/">who recently reported on the program</a>, told BI. "It's available to a wide range of travelers."US citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, Canadians with a B1/B2 visa, and permanent citizens of the 41 countries included in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/visa-waiver-program">Visa Waiver Program</a> who have been to the US before can use the app when arriving in the US.<h2 id="347a7c8d-47ea-4199-8fc7-8a364c3f5d71">It's not exactly Global Entry</h2>"Nothing is as fast as Global Entry," Cudahy said. "I've been through Global Entry probably a dozen times in the last eight or nine months, and on most of those occasions, it's so fast that my feet barely even stop moving."While Mobile Passport Control users access a shorter line to talk to CBP officers, Global Entry members don't talk to an officer at all."You get off the plane, go right to a kiosk, it recognizes your face, and you're on your way in a matter of seconds," Cudahy said of Global Entry.<div type="image" title=": An officer with the US Customs and Border Protection demonstrates a new arrivals processing kiosk" height="1873" width="3000" msid="111349198" hostid="261" sizebytes="171220"></div>Global Entry is also available in twice as many US airports as Mobile Passport Control, and it includes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tsa-precheck-security-etiquette-to-get-through-fast-2023-10">TSA PreCheck</a> access for the duration of the membership.While it's a more useful perk than Mobile Passport Control, not every international traveler wants to pay $100 and go to the airport for an interview. But they can still avoid long wait times.<h2 id="14e82dd0-3c1d-40e9-bebb-fdcdf0b0c6fd">An underrated hack</h2>Mobile Passport Control has been available since 2014, but not many people use it — especially compared to Global Entry. According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-reminds-summer-travelers-stay-travel-ready">CBP press release</a>, 4 million travelers used Mobile Passport Control in 2023.Meanwhile, more than 10 million travelers either enrolled in or renewed their Global Entry memberships in the same year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/cbp_fy_2023_travel_fact_sheet_06.2024.pdf">according to the CBP</a>. And the regular customs line remains long.<div type="image" title="A sign points passengers to the mobile passport control window set up for international travelers arriving at Miami International Airport" height="3840" width="5760" msid="111349201" hostid="261" sizebytes="467462"></div>Cudahy told BI that CBP wants more travelers to use Mobile Passport Control.<h2 id="9e404beb-cb4e-4faf-a2d4-27a1f8f78ec4">How to use the app</h2>Once your flight lands in the US, open the Mobile Passport Control app.The app will ask you to select the airport you've arrived at.Next, you'll be prompted to add travelers to your trip. Up to 12 travelers in your household can enter their information on the same phone, making it easier and more efficient for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/traveling-with-my-parents-has-changed-my-relationship-with-them-2023-10">families traveling together</a>.Each traveler will scan their passport, enter their personal information and customs declaration forms, and take a selfie.Once you submit the forms through the app and deplane, follow the signs for Mobile Passport Control to the shorter customs line.<div type="image" title="A sign points passengers to the mobile passport control window set up for international travelers." height="3840" width="5760" msid="111349194" hostid="261" sizebytes="857944"></div>A customs officer will take only one traveler's photo to pull up everyone's information in your group.<h2 id="f224003f-674e-47d2-98a1-951a62b6ef10">First-timer tips</h2>The process is simple, but Cudahy has a few tips for first-time users.First off, download the app before your trip rather than after landing."Sometimes, when you take a phone off airplane mode, it could be a little wonky at first," he said.When you download the app in advance, Cudahy suggests getting comfortable with it before your trip."Don't submit any declarations on the application until you're ready, but you can play around with it and familiarize yourself so you're ready to go when you land," he said.<div type="image" title="A black iPhone with The Mobile Passport Control app on the screen." height="2005" width="2673" msid="111349196" hostid="261" sizebytes="216068"></div>And lastly, if you're traveling with family, make sure everyone knows about the selfie."Just have them all aware of the fact that everybody's going to need to take a selfie on the one person's phone," he said. "That way, you can do it in an efficient manner once the plane lands."Once you deplane and see that short line next to rows of travelers in the regular customs line, you'll be glad you're in on this underrated hack.

You're probably missing out on this international travel hack that saves time at the airport and costs nothing

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

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I met and married my husband within a year and a half. I got pregnant two months after the wedding.</li><li>We felt pressure to try for a baby right away because I was 38, and he was 45.</li></ul>Within five weeks in 2008, my husband and I celebrated the birth of our first child, our first <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/gifts/best-anniversary-gifts-for-her">wedding anniversary</a>, and our 40th and 47th birthdays — in that order.It was a whirlwind, much like our romance. We got engaged eight months after getting together and married 10 months later.It was — and still is — true love. But we both admit that we rushed to the altar. It was mostly because I was in my late 30s, and he was in his mid-40s. We're somewhat traditional and didn't want to waste time making it official.Time was at our back for other reasons. I'm British and my then-employer had sponsored my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/h1b-visa-lottery-changes-benefit-startups-hiring-immigrants-2024-2">work visa</a>. But no job's forever. We would have gotten married anyway, but the thought of securing a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-became-us-citizen-through-naturalization-h1b-visa-2020-6">green card </a>hastened the pace.If kids came along, it would be a bonus, we thought. I still wish we'd thought more about giving ourselves time to be a married couple before getting pregnant.<h2>We inevitably had a conversation about starting a family</h2>Shortly after our engagement, a friend took me aside. She mentioned the lower fertility rates among women over 35. "If you want to have kids, you'd better get moving," she said.She scared the heck out of me. My fiancé wasn't so bothered. But, as a man, his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biological-age-test-calculation-interpret-results-2024-2">biological clock </a>wasn't ticking as loudly as mine.Before getting married, we spent so much time at bars, Broadway shows, and sports events. As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-dinks-winning-childfree-economy-finances-income-vacation-retirement-kids-2024-2">DINKS </a>— a couple with dual income and no kids — we went skiing three times in a year. We vacationed in Europe. He popped the question on a beach in Northern England.Soon, we had a deeper conversation about starting a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-have-older-parents-see-benefits-of-waiting-have-kids-2023-6">family as an older couple</a>. We discussed the odds of being successful. We also wondered if we'd have the energy to run after young kids in our 40s. But nothing stopped us from trying.I'd have been delighted if I'd conceived in the run-up to the wedding. In the end, I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/reproductive-health/how-to-get-pregnant">got pregnant naturally</a> six weeks after our honeymoon. We were lucky.<div type="image" title="A man and woman at a wedding. The man is wearing a suit jacket. The woman is wearing a black dress and a fascinator." height="2268" width="3024" msid="109043602" hostid="261"></div>It wasn't the easiest pregnancy. Our social life was on hold as I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/suffered-through-hyperemesis-gravidarum-twice-what-it-was-like-2023-12">vomited for the full nine months</a>. But, like most parents-to-be, we happily waited it out.Our daughter was born on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/my-daughter-wont-call-me-on-mothers-day-2023-5">Mother's Day</a> weekend, just five weeks before I turned 40. There was the usual mixture of joy, anxiety, and exhaustion. We swapped late-night movies for midnight diapering. Our respective families lived on the West Coast and in the UK. They couldn't babysit while we returned to our favorite restaurants or went to see <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yankee-insider-experience-not-worth-it-review-with-photos-2023-4">the Yankees.</a>It felt as if we'd gone from 0 to 60 in a matter of months. The engine revved up further when our son arrived two years later.Neither of us would change our situation for the world. We have teenagers now — which presents a whole other set of challenges — but parenthood is rewarding.Still, despite our blessings, we wonder what might have been if we'd taken a gamble and put them off. We'd have loved to have spent more time as a married couple living it up with money and no ties. We might have gone scuba diving or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-pack-everest-base-camp-trek-packing-tips-2022-10">trekked to Everest base camp</a>.The ideal might have been meeting in our 20s, marrying in our early 30s, and waiting several years before kids. But you can't change the past. Besides, it's fun to keep getting to know each other — even if Taylor Swift and demands for rides drown out our illuminating conversations.Do you have a powerful story to share with Business Insider? Please send details to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jridley@insider.com">jridley@businessinsider.com</a>.

I felt pressure to get pregnant right after our wedding because I was older. I wish I'd waited longer to have kids.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A millennial moved from the American South to Montreal in 2015 to "get cultured" and attend graduate school. </li><li>He says food, safety, healthcare, and quality of life are the biggest perks of living in Montreal. </li></ul>If you ask Dexter Linton, there aren't many downsides to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-from-massachusetts-montreal-experienced-culture-shock-2024-2">living in Montreal</a>. But it may not be enough to keep him there.The 33-year-old sales professional grew up in Arlington, Texas, attended college in Kansas, and then landed a post-graduate internship in Georgia, he told Business Insider via email. In 2015, he decided to move to Montreal on a student visa to pursue a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/highest-paying-jobs-that-require-a-masters-degree-2016-10">master's degree</a> in sports business management.In addition to attending graduate school, Linton said one of the main reasons he moved to Montreal was to "get cultured" and experience something different. The city didn't disappoint him in this regard."It's extremely cultural, great food scene, safe, bilingualism is an asset," he said.But Linton always planned to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-california-austin-texas-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-2021-1">move back to Texas</a> someday, and he said his feelings hadn't changed.In recent years, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-economy-us-south-texas-florida-houston-dallas-nashville-miami-2023-12">millions of Americans</a> have moved south. Between July 2022 and 2023, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas were the three <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/state-population-growth-declines-map-moving-migration-census-2023-12">fastest-growing states</a> by population in the nation. BI has spoken with several people who've <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-texas-jobs-houston-dallas-income-taxes-weather-food-state-2023-12">relocated to the South</a> in recent years from other regions of the US and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-florida-weather-rent-fort-lauderdale-politics-healthcare-millennial-2024-2">Canada</a>. Weather, lower cost of living, and job opportunities were among the reasons they made their moves.But there are some Americans who, rather than heading south, have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-native-moving-to-canada-american-dream-2020-12">moved north to Canada</a>. US-to-Canada movers told BI they did it for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-canada-healthcare-amazon-not-paradise-welcoming-community-2024-1">more-affordable healthcare</a>, a different <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-canada-from-us-pros-cons-heathcare-home-prices-2023-12">political culture</a>, and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-canada-from-us-differences-pros-cons-guns-drugs-2023-12">fresh start</a>.For Linton, both Montreal and Texas have their pros and cons.<h2>Montreal has better healthcare and quality of life, but Texas has nicer weather and a lower cost of living</h2>While Montreal's culture initially drew him to the city, Linton said there were several more reasons he and his wife might want to raise their family there rather than in Texas."My wife often brings up the comparatives: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-misconceptions-about-canadian-healthcare-2019-11">healthcare system</a>, education quality, and overall <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-canadian-prefers-living-in-the-us-2024-1">quality of life</a>," he said.He said he also felt safer sending his children to school in Canada, given the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-sending-kids-private-school-keep-them-safe-from-shootings-2023-5">gun violence</a> that has occurred in the US in recent years.But Linton said he thought Texas edged out Montreal in three areas."Down south, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-california-austin-texas-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-2021-1">weather</a> is better, there are more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-economy-us-texas-austin-tech-real-estate-job-growth-2023-12">career opportunities</a>, and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-texas-from-california-florida-ny-generations-income-2023-12">cost of living is lower</a> — for now," he said.While <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/californians-moved-texas-property-tax-gave-sticker-shock-2023-11">lower housing costs</a>, for example, have drawn some people to the Lone Star State, the demand uptick associated with a booming population has caused <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaving-texas-political-freedom-property-taxes-housing-costs-2023-11">home prices to spike</a> in recent years. Texas still has the perk of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/states-with-no-income-tax-map">no state income tax</a>.Linton said that, ultimately, being closer to his family — many of them still live in Texas — was a big reason he wanted to move back someday. But some of his wife's family live in Montreal.<h2>"You make your money in the US, and you get out before it's too late"</h2>The timing of Linton's move back to the US is very uncertain. He said it'd be difficult to relocate his family given that his children are young, but that he hoped to move back sometime over the next decade.In hindsight, Linton said he regretted moving to Montreal as early in his life as he did."If I knew what I knew today, I would have established myself in Texas while making frequent trips to Montreal to visit my wife's family instead of vice versa," he said.Linton recalled the advice of a friend, who told him, "You make your money in the US, and you get out before it's too late." Linton said the friend was alluding to strong economic opportunities in the US but insufficient support for older Americans — compared with some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-ten-countries-for-a-comfortable-retirement-2023-9#7-sweden-4">other countries</a> — to help pay for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aging-population-healthcare">healthcare costs</a> in retirement."I wish we lived in Texas now and moved to Canada later in life," Linton said.Have you recently moved to a new state or country and are willing to share your story? If so, reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jzinkula@businessinsider.com">jzinkula@businessinsider.com</a>.

A millennial who moved to Canada for the quality of life shares why he wants to go back to Texas &mdash; and why he regrets not waiting to relocate until later in life

<ul><li>Senator Mike Lee said on Wednesday: "By the time we stretch this (backlogs) out to 2030, the 195-year backlog I mentioned a moment ago would be extended out to a 400- to 450-year backlog."</li><li>Lee gave these wait times while opposing a Democratic bill that would protect the children of those on H1-B and other employment visas who are waiting for their green cards from being deported when they turn 21.</li><li>He said that with such long wait times, the children would not be able to qualify for green cards in their lifetimes and, instead, a comprehensive reform is needed.</li></ul> The wait time for green cards for Indians professionals stuck in the "awful, hellish green card backlog" could go up from the current 195 years to 450 years in ten years without a comprehensive reform of the immigration system, a Republican Senator has warned. Senator Mike Lee said on Wednesday: "By the time we stretch this (backlogs) out to 2030, the 195-year backlog I mentioned a moment ago would be extended out to a 400- to 450-year backlog." He said that for those filing for green cards "in 2020, the wait for an EB2 green card is not, in fact, 20 to 30 years for an Indian national. What is it, then? Is it 30? Is it 40, 50, 60? No, it is much longer than that. It is 195 years. This means that someone from India entering the backlog today would have to wait 195 years to receive an EB3 green card." EB2 green cards - the permanent immigration visa leading to citizenship - are for those with advanced degrees and EB3 for skilled and professional workers. The annual green card quota for India and most countries is about 26,000. Lee gave these wait times while opposing a Democratic bill that would protect the children of those on H1-B and other employment visas who are waiting for their green cards from being deported when they turn 21. He said that with such long wait times, the children would not be able to qualify for green cards in their lifetimes and, instead, a comprehensive reform is needed. When children turn 21, they are no longer considered dependents and will lose their visa status based on their parents' visas as well as their claim to a green card and the Protect Children of Immigrant Workers Act proposed by Democrat Senator Dick Durbin seeks to remedy this. While the cause of children who came to the US illegally has a lot of political support, the children who came in legally but reached adulthood has been under the radar and Durbin's bill proposes a parallel remedy. Durbin said that without increasing the total number of green cards, it would not be possible to deal with the huge backlogs and the decades-long wait times. He said, "Just do the math; 140,000 EB (employment) visas and 226,000 family visas per year and 5 million people waiting. If you think you can solve this without changing the number of green cards, you can't." He said that Lee told him that many Republicans opposed increasing the number of green cards that can be issued in a year. Durbin's bill would also allow H1-B visa-holders to file early for green cards, freeing them to switch jobs without being held down by the employers who sponsored them for theAvisa. One of the compromises offered in Durbin's bill is to restrict H1-B visas for outsourcing companies. It would prohibit a company from hiring additional H-1B workers in the future if the company's workforce is more than 50 employees and more than 50 per cent of those are temporary workers. He said that eight of the top ten companies getting H1-B visas were outsourcing companies. Defending his opposition to Durbin's bill. Lee said that the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act he and Democratic Senator Kamala Harris have proposed would protect children, protects widows and widowers of H1-B visa-holders, while expediting green cards for all high-skilled immigrants. A version of the bill that would lift national quotas to allow Indian applicants for green cards to get access to more immigration visas has been passed by the House of Representatives, but has been blocked by Durbin and two Republicans. Durbin has said that lifting the national quota restrictions would only increase the wait times for other countries unless the number of green cards is increased. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/after-google-pwc-india-declares-a-company-wide-holiday-for-its-employees-this-friday-offers-time-off-for-a-well-deserved-break/articleshow/77125627.cms">After Google, PwC India declares a company-wide holiday for its employees this Friday – offers time off for a 'well-deserved' break</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/mukesh-ambani-is-now-the-fifth-richest-person-in-the-world-according-to-forbes/articleshow/77105843.cms">Mukesh Ambani is now the fifth richest person in the world, according to Forbes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-dont-want-h1b-ban-but-are-pocketing-savings-while-it-lasts/articleshow/77120776.cms">The H1-B visa ban is not what Indian IT firms want⁠— but they are pocketing some savings while it lasts</a>

Green card wait time for Indians can go to 450 years by 2030, warns a Republican Senator

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider spoke to three families returning to <keyword id="11897975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="uk" source="Orion">Uk</keyword>raine because of the UK visa backlog.</li><li>They said they could not afford housing in Europe while waiting for their visas to be approved.</li></ul>Natalia Kulish, 34, had an agonizing choice to make.She could stay in Poland with her two children, facing homelessness if the family's visas to the UK took much longer to be issued. Or she could return to war-torn <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>, reuniting her children with their father but putting them at risk of being bombed.Kulish chose the latter, and she's one of several families of <keyword id="6391453" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="refugees" source="Orion">refugees</keyword> who have reluctantly decided to turn back to Ukraine instead of waiting indefinitely for the Home Office to process their paperwork.<div type="image" title="Natalia, Luka, and Mariia pose for a Christmas photo" height="902" width="1200" msid="90744149" hostid="261"></div>Kulish fled Dnipro, in western Ukraine, with her children — Mariia, 11, and Luke, 4 — on March 16.They traveled to Warsaw, where a Polish man agreed to temporarily house them in his apartment while they waited for their visas to be issued.They applied for the Homes for Ukraine program — in which people and organizations in the UK can be matched with individuals fleeing Ukraine and offer them a place to live — on March 18, the day it launched. Kulish was told she could expect to receive a visa within four days, she told Insider.The Kulish family then planned to fly to the UK to start a new life with a sponsor family in Hampshire, England, or so they hoped.Two weeks passed, and the visa had still not been issued. By this point, Kulish and her family were no longer able to stay in the one-bedroom Warsaw apartment. "In Warsaw, there were a lot of people who came from Ukraine, and there was no opportunity to rent housing at an affordable price," she told Insider.Facing the possibility of homelessness, Kulish decided to return to her home in Ukraine on April 2.Back in Dnipro, Kulish said, "the nights pass anxiously" as she and her children listen to sirens blare and wait impatiently for their visas to be approved.<h2><div type="image" title="Liliia, Nina, and Platon" height="465" width="621" msid="90744152" hostid="261"></div></h2>On Thursday night, another family returned to their home in a war zone.Nina, 43, Liliia, 21, and newborn baby, Platon, escaped to Poland from Ukraine by foot last month.Once in Poland, they applied for Homes for Ukraine visas. Leila Majewska, who is Polish but lives in Derby, England, matched with Nina, Liliia, and Platon on a Facebook group.Majewska immediately started preparing her home for the family. She bought a cot and a pram and eagerly awaited their arrival.<div type="image" title="A bedroom in the UK, with a cot and toys, was prepared by Leila Majewska" height="1153" width="1536" msid="90744155" hostid="261"></div>As the visa application process dragged on, Majewska flew to Warsaw and visited a visa center with them. Majewska said the family was told the visas would take five days to process.Meanwhile, the family stayed for free at a Polish woman's house.But 17 days passed, their sponsor said, and Nina and Liliia realized that staying in Warsaw indefinitely was no longer viable."I think it's emotional not having any of your own money and being in someone's place when you are told that it's gonna be just for a maximum of a week and then it's 17 days and still waiting," Majewska told Insider.Majewska said she's frustrated by the UK's visa backlog. "If they got the visa on time, they wouldn't be there, and they'd be safe and comfortable." she said.Living in a state of "purgatory" has had a negative effect on the family's mental health, Majewska noted. "It's the suspension, waiting for something, but you don't know if it's going to actually happen," she said.<h2>Just 2.8% of Homes for Ukraine applicants have arrived in the UK</h2>According to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukraine-family-scheme-application-data/ukraine-family-scheme-and-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-homes-for-ukraine-visa-data--2">figures released on Friday</a> by the Home Office, only 1,200 Ukrainians who have applied for the Homes for Ukraine program have arrived in the UK. That represents just 2.8% of the 43,600 people who have applied.The government's refugees minister, <a href="https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/refugees-minister-admits-ukraine-scheme-rollout-embarrassing">Lord Richard Harrington, has described</a> the plan's rollout as "embarrassing" and "a slow and bureaucratic process."In a statement to Insider, a government spokesperson said: "In response to Putin's barbaric invasion we have launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history. In just four weeks, over 40,000 visas have been issued so people can rebuild their lives in the UK."<div type="image" title="Refugee women with children walk to boarding transport at the central train station in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, April 7, 2022." height="3740" width="4987" msid="90744158" hostid="261"></div>Home Office figures show that of the 79,800 applications filed, 41,000 visas have been granted to Ukrainians fleeing the war. Of that number, 12,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK.Meanwhile, the neighboring Republic of Ireland, which has one-tenth of the population of the UK, has welcomed more than 20,000 people from Ukraine, <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0407/1290906-ukraine-refugees-ireland/">according to Ireland's taoiseach, Micheál Martin.</a>Refugee charities have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/28/uk-visa-rule-is-leaving-refugees-stranded-in-war-torn-ukraine-say-charities">called on the UK government to waive visa requirements</a> for Ukrainian refugees to bring the country in line with other EU nations like Ireland.Many of the UK's incoming refugees are arriving via the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows applicants to apply for a visa to join a UK-based family member.According to Home Office figures, 10,800 of the 36,300 applicants have so far arrived in the UK.Peter Lee's mother-in-law and sister-in-law are among those who benefited from the program, but he told Insider that the application process caused "anxiety, frustration" and prompted his relatives to temporarily return to Ukraine.<h2>'We felt the only option was for them to go back to Ukraine'</h2>Lee's family were trying to join him in the UK after they fled Uzhhorod, in western Ukraine, by foot.They got to Hungary, and Lee put them up in a hotel in Budapest. As the visa process dragged on, the family decided it was no longer financially viable to pay for expensive accommodation."We felt the only option for us was for them to go back to Ukraine and ultimately wait again," Lee said. Eventually, the family had their visas approved, and they're now living in the UK.Sandip Basu, a volunteer legal adviser with the Ukraine Advice Project who helped the Lee family, told Insider that it feels "shameful" that the family had to suffer the bureaucratic nightmare. It shows that the UK's visa-application process is not fit for its purpose, he said."It's a problem of lack of communication between the Home Office, the government, and the visa application center, and just a matter of unpreparedness," Basu said.On Friday, Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, apologized "with frustration" for the program's failures. "I'll be very candid. It has taken time," she said, per <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61028712">BBC News.</a> "Any new scheme takes time. Any new visa system takes time."But Basu told Insider that the system's greatest flaw is that it fails to consider the agonizing decisions refugees fleeing Ukraine are being forced to make."It's a choice between hunger and homelessness, or going back to their home where at least they have shelter, even though there is the danger of bombs being dropped on them," he said. "It's an incredible decision to make, and I don't know what I'd do if I had to make that choice."

Refugees are choosing to return to war-torn Ukraine exhausted by the 'hunger and homelessness' inflicted by the long wait for UK visas

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Maria Romanenko and her British boyfriend fled <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> after the Russian invasion.</li><li>She managed to travel to the <keyword id="11897975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="uk" source="Orion">UK</keyword> when she obtained a visa waiver.</li></ul>When my partner Jez woke me up early on February 24 to tell me my country had been bombed, and that we needed to get up, pack, and leave the country, I struggled to believe him.We had left Podil, the hipster district of <keyword id="13017749" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kyiv" source="Orion">Kyiv</keyword> where we lived, the night before and stayed at my father's house, 17 miles outside of the city center, as a precaution. We planned to head west to <keyword id="13431861" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lviv" source="Orion">Lviv</keyword>, stay overnight, then make a dash for the Polish border. My dad is fighting as part of the Territorial Defense Forces. He was always firm that he would defend Ukraine if needed. My brother must stay because no men between 18 and 60 can leave the country. My mum decided to stay with my brother and his wife.<h2>I was reluctant to flee. I didn't want to leave my friends, family, and life behind, but Jez was adamant we should go. </h2>In hindsight, it was the right decision to leave, but you don't always see things clearly when you're so emotionally invested. My father drove us to Lviv. It took us 10 hours, double the usual time. We saw hour-long queues at petrol stations that still had stock, and lines snaking out of supermarkets. We managed to get fuel en route but staff weren't letting anyone buy anything other than gas and water to keep the line moving swiftly. I'm a journalist, and I spent the car ride getting back-to-back requests from other journalists for interviews. I was thankful to be doing them. It kept my mind busy, even when I saw military trucks, which I'd only seen before in parades, heading the other way toward Kyiv.My father dropped us just outside Lviv and we took a taxi to a friend's house. The driver said we were his final trip before he joined the army the next day.Early the next morning, the friend in Lviv offered to drive us to the Polish border. The drive should only take an hour and 15 minutes but took six hours. Ten miles from the border, traffic came to a standstill, and we had to travel 60 miles to find another crossing. We were only let through to the pedestrian crossing because my partner showed a security guard his UK passport.There, we queued another 23 hours in below-freezing temperatures and with no access to food, drink, or a bathroom. Any time anyone could push a few inches closer to the barrier, they did.<div type="image" title="Queue of people standing in line at Polish border" height="3024" width="4032" msid="90361615" hostid="261"></div>The crushing made it hard to breathe, with some people collapsing or fainting. The pushing led to fights, while mothers with young children cried out to be given priority. After finally making it through, and into the welcoming arms of an army of volunteers, I began to think about our next move. I could stay in <keyword id="11937111" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="poland" source="Orion">Poland</keyword> but my partner couldn't. We decided to head for England.<h2>We traveled to the British Embassy in Warsaw </h2>I've visited the UK a few times since I finished my studies there eight years ago, so I was used to applying for the visitor visa I knew I'd need.We traveled from Krakow, where we had been recovering, to visit the British Embassy in Warsaw.Upon arrival, the embassy was busy and had a lot of security in place. We later found out that Boris Johnson was scheduled to arrive for a meeting and a press conference. We spoke with the embassy staff and explained the situation with the visa. They said they would look into it. My boyfriend's MP's office also called the UK's Home Office. It transpired that while the visa had passed the initial checks and been "granted," nobody really knew or could tell us where the physical copy was. The document-tracking system said it needed to be redirected to another center as I was no longer in Kyiv.Perhaps it was in Kyiv, where the center was now closed, or in Lviv, where a skeleton staff remained, I still don't know. At the time, we were informed that it couldn't be reissued and I might have to reapply for a new one, which would have been nearly impossible without key documents I had left behind. Throughout the day, journalists who'd interviewed us were calling the Home Office, asking for an update on our visa for articles they were writing.Late in the afternoon, we received a call from the embassy — the Home Office was prepared to grant a waiver that would allow me to travel without physical proof I had the visa. There is no documentation, just a note on the systems in the UK and with the company we were flying with that I had the waiver. It could only be used on the exact flight from Krakow to Manchester we booked for the next day.<h2>But at check-in, the Ryanair desk agent couldn't find our visa waiver on the system</h2>Our hearts sank. She checked again. Still nothing, despite the embassy's assurances it would be there. Her colleague however had noticed that a waiver was on the system and had simply been missed by the desk agent. A ticket was issued.Upon arrival, we went to the immigration desk to explain I was traveling on a visa waiver.We had to wait for several hours while the UK Border Force confirmed with the Home Office that the visa waiver was legitimate, which we had been told might happen. We were also joined for a period by two suited middle-aged men from the counterterrorism police, and having answered some basic questions about our journey, they were satisfied I wasn't a terrorist.Apparently, they were speaking to every Ukrainian entering the country.We were finally allowed to pass through. My passport is still bare, but I have been told that I can stay until August 25, the standard six months after the visitor visa has been granted. The visa comes with a number of restrictions. I cannot work, or use the NHS, or access benefits.<h2>My lawyer, who was provided for free through a local initiative, hopes we can convert the visitor visa into a family visa</h2>That would let me reside, work, use the NHS, and claim any benefits for three years.For Ukrainians without family here, they have to use the recently announced scheme, which gives Ukrainians the ability to live and work in the UK for an initial period of 12 months, if they can find a sponsor. There are currently no plans to introduce visa-free access to the UK for Ukrainians fleeing the war, a position which is out of step with every other country in mainland Europe.Once I get my visa, I'll look for work as a journalist here, while continuing to volunteer and advocate on behalf of Ukraine and Ukrainians. I'm no fighter, I'd be useless with a gun, but as a writer I can bring the stories of others to wider attention. And one day, soon, I will return to a free Ukraine and a free Kyiv. Putin will be defeated. And I can't wait.

You Searched For "visa wait time" and got 10 results

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

IANS

EU ready to suspend visa agreement with Russia: Report

IANS

My first wife and I combined last names when we married. I waited 13 years after we split to change mine back.

Jane Ridley

You're probably missing out on this international travel hack that saves time at the airport and costs nothing

Joey Hadden

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

PTI

I felt pressure to get pregnant right after our wedding because I was older. I wish I'd waited longer to have kids.

Jane Ridley

A millennial who moved to Canada for the quality of life shares why he wants to go back to Texas and why he regrets not waiting to relocate until later in life

Jacob Zinkula

Green card wait time for Indians can go to 450 years by 2030, warns a Republican Senator

IANS

Refugees are choosing to return to war-torn Ukraine exhausted by the 'hunger and homelessness' inflicted by the long wait for UK visas

Joshua Zitser

I'm a Ukrainian who fled to the UK. This is what the journey was like, from fighting for a visa to waiting 23 hours at the border.

Maria Romanenko

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides