The US is on track to issue over one million visas to Indians this year.
Washington:
A top official has said that the US is on track to issue more than one million visas to Indians this year. He assured that the Biden administration is committed to ensuring this summer that it processes all student visas for Indians whose schools are starting this fall.
Donald Lu, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, also told the Press Trust of India in an interview this week that they are also prioritizing work visas: the H-1B and L visas, which are most commonly sought by India’s IT professionals. Are in demand.
The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
Technology companies depend on it to hire thousands of employees every year from countries like India and China.
“We are on track to issue over one million visas this year. It is a record number for us as well as a record number of student visas and immigrant visas,” Lu said.
Mr. Lu said the US is committed to ensuring this summer that it processes all student visas for Indians starting school this fall.
There are growing concerns about long waiting periods for first-time visa applicants in India, especially those applying under the B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories.
India now ranks second in the world for international students coming to the United States.
“We are also prioritizing work visas: H-1B and L visas. The wait times at some of our consular sections in India for these visas are now less than 60 days. We will continue to ensure that we prioritize China, as it is important to both the US and Indian economies,” Mr. Lu said.
“For certain petition-based nonimmigrant work visa categories, we plan to resume domestic visa renewals for applicants who meet certain requirements, including being physically present in the United States. We plan to have a pilot up and running later this year. This will eliminate the need for these applicants to travel overseas to renew their visas,” he said.
In response to a question about Indian IT professionals who are on H-1B visas and have lost their jobs, Lu said the Department of Homeland Security has recently provided some new information, specifically on the point that What should these employees do who want to work. Correct their position.
He said that Indo-US relations have bipartisan support in the US.
“I think part of the answer you can find in America is a really strong expatriate community. For 30 years or more, our relationship has been driven partly by Indian Americans who have lived here for decades, but now We also have very strong ties with India,” he said.
More than a million people fly back and forth between the two countries.
“It’s an amazing number, considering we’re not close at all. It’s very expensive to fly back and forth. But those ties to people who moved here or maybe their parents came from India, those ties will remain. They haven’t been cut.” by immigration,” he said.
“In fact, we now know that more than 100,000 Americans are living in India as well. This relationship is of great weight and benefit to both of us. Yes. So, I think it’s right for political parties because It’s for families in America. Growing up, I had many Indian American friends. I think it’s part of the fabric of the United States,” Mr. Lu said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)