To reduce visa delays, US expanding its workforce and opening new consulates, says envoy Eric Garcetti

US Ambassador Eric Garcetti announced on Monday that in an effort to shorten the time it takes to issue visas from India, the US is expanding its workforce and opening additional consulates, one of which is in Ahmedabad. Speaking during an interactive session hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), he mentioned that a consulate has just opened in Hyderabad and that premises in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad are being considered for new consulates

"I had a look at the new premises for establishing a consulate in Ahmedabad yesterday. Some more people have already joined the Hyderabad consulate as we are increasing the staff strength in the city and premises are being taken up in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad for setting up new consulates," he said.

In the last few weeks, he added, the number of US visas issued in India had grown by one-third, and the embassy is likely to issue 10 to 15 per cent more visas than usual this calendar year.

The US Embassy in India on Monday also announced that its India team processed more visa applications in 2023 than in any previous year.

"And we aren’t done yet! We'll be serving thousands of students, workers, tourists, and more in the coming weeks just in time for the busy holiday travel season. Safe travels to all of our applicants and congrats to the Consular Team!" a post on the embassy's X handle read.

Garcetti also highlighted that the huge number of applications was the reason for the delay in visa granting, and that similar problems were being experienced by other major nations including Brazil and Mexico.

Further, this surge in visa demand comes on the heels of the US Embassy's record issuance of 90,000 student visas in the summer months of July and August. Remarkably, this meant that nearly one in four student visas issued globally was granted to Indian applicants.

Eric Garcetti earlier too highlighted a substantial reduction in the wait time for first-time tourist visa interviews, amounting to over 50 percent. He stated that the goal for 2023 is to process at least one million visas.

India and the US have cooperated on several initiatives to simplify the visa application process. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, he announced a significant development: Indian professionals would no longer be required to leave the US for the renewal of their H-1B visas. The US authorities have introduced 'in-country' renewable H-1B visas as part of the people-to-people initiative, aimed at streamlining the H-1B visa renewal process.