India Requests US to Expedite B-1 Visa Issuance to Ease Business Travel

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India has requested the United States (US) to expedite the issuance of business visas (B1 visas) so that people can travel for short periods of time to pursue their business and trade interests.

Addressing a press conference after participating in the 13th India-US Trade Policy Forum in Washington, Piyush Goyal said, as quoted by ANI;

“We found very good resonance to our request that issuance of business visas which is taking a long time back home in India is an area which needs to be expedited, so that business persons interested on both sides, need to have faster processing of business visas so that trade, investment does not suffer.”

Also Read: US Implements New Measures to Reduce Visa Appointment Wait Times

Request for expediting Business Visa

“India has made the request to the US that they may speed up the issuance of regular business visas where people come in for short trips to pursue their trade and business interest,” the Union Minister added.

Goyal stated that the movement of professionals, students, skilled workers, investors, and business travellers between the two countries has helped to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Student Visa Processing

“We are grateful that the US was able to process the student visas on an expedited basis so that in the post-Covid scenario our students would come to the US to pursue their studies in the fall of 2022 semester,” added the Union Minister as quoted by ANI.

What is US Business (B-1) Visa

The B-1 Business Visa is a nonimmigrant visa issued by the US government for temporary entry into the country for business purposes such as consulting, attending a conference, or negotiating a contract. It is not intended for use in the workplace or for training. It is usually valid for 6 months and can be extended in certain circumstances.

Current Visa Wait Times

Currently, the average wait time for US B1 and B2 visas requiring an interview at the US embassy or consulates in India is approximately 590 calendar days. Chennai has the shortest wait time of 560 days, while Mumbai has the longest wait time of 623 days.

On the other hand, the wait time for visas not requiring an interview is comparatively shorter, with an average wait time of around 90 days. The quickest wait time is just 14 days in Chennai and 31 days in the Delhi embassy.

(With Inputs From ANI)