US B1 and B2 visa appointments open after two years: Examine particulars right here on interviews, backlogs

After closing the visa appointments for 2 years as a result of pandemic, the US Embassy and Consulates in India on September 27 introduced that it has lastly opened up interview slots for brand new visa candidates. 

“Visa appointments at the moment are open for all classes! However due to excessive demand, wait instances stay vital,” the US Embassy India tweeted. 

Nonetheless, the opening of appointment slots doesn’t imply one can go to the US for a go to straight away. The ready interval for Indians seeking to go to the US for a vacation or a tour has gone as much as 800 days, as per the US State Division web site. For scholar/change customer visas and different non-immigrant visas, the ready interval is sort of 400 days. 

The embassy, nonetheless, famous that as a result of excessive quantity of visa requests, it can not accommodate all travellers previous to their deliberate journey dates, even when the aim of journey is time delicate.  

Because the demand could be very excessive after two years, the US embassy has directed the travellers planning to use for a non-immigrant visa to achieve the US as a brief customer to recheck the present wait time for an interview utilizing a instrument on the web site. 

The embassy added that because of a employees scarcity and pandemic-related disruptions since March 2020, appointment demand for visas is excessive throughout all classes and wait instances could also be longer for many routine non-immigrant visa appointments on the embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. The B1 and B2 visas are for enterprise and tourism functions. 

Methods to examine your standing 

Payment paid, slot not assigned  

If one has already paid the charge, as per the web site, the US Mission will lengthen the validity of fee, formally often known as the MRV charge, till September 30, 2023, so that each one candidates, who have been unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of suspension of the providers, can reschedule or attend a visa appointment. 

“The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India perceive that many visa candidates have paid the visa utility processing charge and are nonetheless ready to schedule a visa appointment. We’re working diligently to revive all routine visa operations as rapidly and safely as potential,” the embassy mentioned. 

Waivers for sure classes 

The US Division of State has authorised zonal consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for sure classes of visa candidates by way of 31 December 2022. This new authorization applies to travellers making use of for F, H-1, H-3, H-4, non-blanket L, M, O, P, Q, and educational J visas, who have been beforehand issued any kind of visa. The authorisation just isn’t for individuals who have been beforehand rejected and weren’t subsequently waived.  

Ministerial concern 

It’s to be famous that on Tuesday Exterior affairs minister S. Jaishankar in his assembly with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the problem of the backlog of visa functions from India. Jaishankar mentioned that the visa backlog was an important difficulty pots pandemic given its centrality to training, know-how, enterprise and household reunions. Blinken on his half mentioned he’s delicate to the matter and had a plan to deal with the backlog. 

Indians make up a big proportion of the recipients of H-1B and different work visas granted to expert overseas staff, many within the tech trade. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that permits US firms to make use of overseas staff in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical experience.

(With company inputs)