US to Clear Visa Backlog for Indians in Coming Months

According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the US has a plan to resolve the visa backlog and high wait times issues for Indians within the next few months.

The remarks were made during a meeting with S Jaishankar in Washington. The Minister of External Affairs of India raised concerns about obtaining visas for Indians to live and work in the United States.

The US has a non-immigrant visa waiting period of more than two years for Indians. In Delhi, the waiting period for student/exchange visitor visas is 430 calendar days, 833 calendar days for visitor visas, and 390 calendar days for all other non-immigrant visas.

Jaishankar expressed confidence that Blinken and his team would take some of these issues “seriously and positively.” Blinken blamed the backlog on the COVID-19 outbreak.

Blinken said in a press briefing;

“We had constraints from COVID about the number of people we could have in our embassies at any one time etc. We are now building back very determined really from that surging resources. We have a plan when it comes to India to address the backlog of visas that have built up. I think you’ll see that play out in the coming months.”

The US’ capacity to provide visas significantly decreased during COVID. And it doesn’t want to make things any more difficult. Instead, it wants to make it easier, according to Blinken.

“Bear with us. This will play out over the next few months but we’re very focused on it,” he added.

Blinken stated during the joint press conference that India-US relations are among the “most consequential” in the world. According to the US Secretary of State, the two countries’ bilateral relationship has improved in recent years as a result of organisations such as QUAD, the G20, and UN-affiliated international organisations.

The US will be able to promote more international collaboration and joint action thanks to India’s UNSC presidency in December and its G20 presidency in 2023. Blinken explained.

(Source: ANI)