The US mission in India plans to increase staff in its embassy in New Delhi and consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai to reduce wait times for visa applicants.
The Statement
The embassy said it has already launched a “staffing surge” to conduct “special Saturday” interviews as part of a “larger effort” to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants. All US missions across India opened consular operations on Saturday “to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews.” The embassy noted that the move was the first in a series of similar interviews.
All US missions usually remain closed on weekends.
Addressing Backlog Caused by COVID-19
The statement said the move is “just one component of a multi-pronged initiative” to address the delays in visa processing caused by COVID-19. Additional measures include sending dozens of temporary consular officers from Washington and other embassies to India and extending weekday operating hours in the Mumbai consulate.
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Noting that COVID-19 resulted in “profound reductions” in visa processing capacity, the release expressed confidence that the US mission in India “will be at full staffing” and applicant wait times should be at pre-pandemic levels by summer.
“Our consular teams across India are putting in the extra hours to meet the needs of international travellers and bring down wait times,” Mumbai Consular chief John Ballard said.
Significance
Currently, wait times for visa processing at the US embassy and consulates can be as long as two years, with additional delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The move to increase work hours and staff is aimed at reducing the administrative burden caused due to a surge in visa applications.
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According to report, applications for all types of visas, including the H1-B, will reach 1.2 million this year. The US issues around 100,000 visas in India per month, and distributed 82,000 student visas last year alone. According to the embassy, Indian students receive more US student visas than students from any other country.