US Embassy Archives - Lokmarg

US Embassy Announces Initiative To Cut Visa Wait For Indians

By LokMarg 22nd January 2023

The United States on Sunday announced new visa initiatives for Indians including special interviews for first-time applicants and greater strength of visa staff across the country to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants.

As part of this initiative, the United States opened consular operations across the country to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews.

“On January 21, the U.S. Mission in India launched the first in a series of special Saturday interview days, as part of a larger effort to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants. The United States Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad all opened consular operations on Saturday to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews,” the US embassy said in a statement.

“In the coming months, the Mission will continue to open additional slots for appointments to take place on select Saturdays,” the statement added.

The embassy said that the US government has implemented remote processing of interview waiver cases for applicants with previous U.S. visas. “Between January and March 2023, dozens of temporary consular officers from Washington and other embassies will arrive in India to increase processing capacity,” the statement added.

It also said the US State Department is also increasing the number of consular officers permanently assigned to the Embassy and Consulates.

“The U.S. Mission in India released more than 250,000 additional B1/B2 appointments. Consulate General Mumbai also extended its weekday operating hours to make space for additional appointments,” the statement added.

Consulate General Mumbai currently adjudicates the most visa applications in India and is one of the largest visa operations in the world, the embassy said.

“Our consular teams across India are putting in the extra hours to meet the needs of international travelers and bring down wait times,” said Mumbai Consular Chief John Ballard. “This is part of a Mission wide effort to find innovative solutions to facilitate travel to the United States.”

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in profound reductions in the Department’s visa processing capacity, and many of its embassies and consulates were at times only able to offer emergency services.

“As travel restrictions have been lifted, the U.S. Mission to India has made it a priority to facilitate legitimate travel and adjudicated over 800,000 nonimmigrant visas in 2022, including record numbers of both student and employment visas. In every other visa category, interview wait times in India are at pre-pandemic levels or lower,” the US embassy said.

“By this summer, the U.S. Mission in India will be at full staffing, and we expect to be processing visas at levels from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the embassy added. (ANI)

US Embassy In Pakistan Fears Possible Attack On Marriott Hotel

By LokMarg 25th December 2022

The United States embassy in Islamabad on Sunday prohibited its staff from visiting the federal capital’s Marriott Hotel, citing concerns of a “possible attack”.

“Event: U.S. government staff prohibited from visiting Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel du a security alert issued today, the US embassy asked its government staff to exercise vigilance at places of worship, and avoid locations with large crowds. It also asked them to monitor local media for updates. to possible attack,” the US embassy in Islamabad said in an alert posted on its website.

This security alert comes two days after a suicide bombing in the capital killed a policeman and wounded six others, the Dawn newspaper reported. In its security alert, the US embassy said it was “aware of information that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad sometime during the holidays”.

“Effective immediately, the Embassy in Islamabad is prohibiting all American staff from visiting Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel,” the alert said.

As Islamabad was placed on red alert citing security concerns while banning all public gatherings, the embassy urged all Mission personnel to refrain from non-essential, unofficial travel to Islamabad throughout the holiday season.

On Friday, the administration in the Capital banned all types of gatherings, especially activities related to the upcoming local government elections, and declared high alert in the city.

“In light of recent advisories/threat alerts issued by the law enforcement agencies and today’s attack on police, the security of Islamabad has been beefed up to obviate the threats within the jurisdiction of the capital which can disrupt peace and tranquility causing damage to public life and property,” read a notification issued by the office of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, as quoted by Dawn.

Police imposed a ban on all kinds of corner meetings, public gatherings, and congregations, especially in the wake of the upcoming local government elections, the report added.

The Pakistani publication said the order immediately came into force and shall remain in force for two weeks. (ANI)

US Embassy Releases Over 1Lakh H, L Visa Appointments

By LokMarg 14th October 2022

The US embassy in India has released over one lakh appointments for H and L work visa categories and for their family members.

“In response to the high demand for employment-based visas, the US Mission to India recently released over 100,000 appointments for H&L workers and their families,” the US embassy in India tweeted.

This was among the key assurances that the US mission has given after Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had raised the visa delay issue with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month.

“Thousands of applicants have already booked their appointments and the wait time for both interview waiver and first-time appointments has been cut in half throughout Mission India. This bulk appointment opening reflects our ongoing commitment to H&L workers,” the embassy added in a tweet.

The US embassy further said in the first nine months of 2022, the US Mission had already processed over 160,000 H and L visas and it will continue to prioritize H and L workers for visa appointments as resources allow.

Consular officers are now temporarily authorized, through December 31, 2022, to waive in-person interviews for certain individual petition-based non-immigrant work visas and their qualifying derivatives in the following categories: Persons in Specialty Occupations (H-1B visas), Trainee or Special Education Visitors (H-3 visas), Intracompany Transferees (L visas), Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement (O visas), Athletes, Artists, and Entertainers (P visas), and Participants in International Cultural Exchange Programs (Q visas), added a US State Department release.

Additionally, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has extended consular officers’ current ability to waive the in-person interview, through December 31, 2022, for the following other categories of non-immigrant visas: Temporary Agricultural and Non-agricultural Workers (H-2 visas), Students (F and M visas), and Student Exchange Visitors (Academic J visas).

“We recognize the many contributions of international visitors to our communities and campuses. Lastly, the authorization to waive the in-person interview for applicants renewing a visa in the same visa class within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration has been extended indefinitely,” added to the release. (ANI)