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Many Indian netizens on Wednesday took to Twitter to share their concerns over the delay in processing of US visa applications from India, with some saying it was "hurting" working professionals and students.
Some Twitter users shared news reports which mentioned that the waiting period in some cases was "over a year".
"Huge exodus of millionaires, professionals in technology and medical and students from India to US. Visa waiting period is more than a year," tweeted @IndiaNewGen.
The user also shared a screenshot of a news report whose headline said -- "US visa appointments now open; Wait time? Just 800 days!"
New authorisation
The US Embassy in India on its website has put up a note saying, "Due to reduced staffing and numerous pandemic-related disruptions to our operations since March 2020, appointment demand is high across all visa categories and wait times may be lengthy for most routine non-immigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai."
The Department of State has authorised consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain categories of visa applicants through 31 December 2022, it said.
This new authorisation applies to travellers applying for F, H-1, H-3, H-4, non-blanket L, M, O, P, Q, and academic J visas who were previously issued any type of visa, if they are applying for a visa in their country of nationality or residence, the note said.
In Washington, Jaishankar raised the issue of the huge backlog of US visa applications from India with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to which the American diplomat said he was sensitive to the matter and had a plan to address it.
Indians make up a large proportion of the recipients of H-1B and other work visas granted to skilled foreign workers, many in the tech industry.
On September 8, the embassy authorities said the US Mission in India has issued a record-breaking 82,000 student visas in 2022 to date, adding Indian students received more US student visas than those from any other country.
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