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To partly address the problem of delay in issuance of US visas for Indian businesses, India has asked Washington to consider its eligibility as an approved treaty country for E-1 and E-2 visas, which are priority non-immigrant visas for traders and investors, officials have said.
At the 14th India-US Trade Policy Forum meet, India also asked the US to designate it as a Trade Agreement Act compliant country so that it could participate in its government procurement, the official added. “We had a good discussion on visas. There are E-1 and E-2 visas for traders and investors. The US has 87 treaty countries, including China. We have asked them to include India as well. It will be easier to process these visas (as these are priority visas),” the official said.
Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas are priority visas for citizens of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation. To be eligible for E-1 visas, the applicant must be engaging in substantial trade with the US while for E-2 visas, the applicant should be investing a substantial amount of capital.
H1-B renewal
New Delhi also proposed that the US State Department’s pilot programme of renewing H1-B visas domestically should be made permanent. “Now, we are asking to make it (domestic renewal of H1-B visas) permanent, and we are asking to extend this facility not only to the original visa holders but to their families as well,” the official added.
At the TPF, India was assured by the US that there had been a significant improvement in visa process time for businesses and by April this year the situation should be back to what it used to be, the official added.
The two ministers noted that the movement of professional and skilled workers, students, investors and business visitors between the countries contributed significantly to enhancing bilateral economic and technological partnership, per the joint statement issued after the TPF. “Minister Goyal highlighted challenges being faced by business visitors from India due to visa processing time periods and requested the US to augment processing,” it said.
At the TPF, there was also good progress on the proposed resumption of export benefits to certain Indian goods under the USA’s generalised system of preferences (GSP) programme, the official said. “Minister Goyal reiterated India’s interest in restoration of its beneficiary status under the US GSP programme. Ambassador Tai noted this could be considered, as warranted, in relation to the eligibility criteria determined by the US Congress,” per the joint statement.
India is also encouraged with the discussions on gaining TAA compliant status. “If you are part of the TAA, you are eligible to participate in the government procurement system of the US. We have started discussions. Public procurement by the US is quite huge. So, we want to find entry into that public procurement system,” the official said.
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