According to Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, the State Department’s objective is to issue 1 million visas this year, which exceeds the pre-pandemic figures.
Various Steps Taken by Government to Reduce the Wait time
Regarding the measures taken to reduce the waiting time for visa interviews in India, Julie Stufft stated, “We have augmented the number of officers being sent to India, and have established unprecedented arrangements with other embassies around the world, such as Bangkok, to handle Indian visa applicants.
We are also inaugurating a new consulate in Hyderabad, and our primary objective is to decrease the wait time for Indians seeking visas.”
Julie Stufft mentioned that the Frankfurt, London, and Abu Dhabi embassies have assisted numerous Indian citizens in obtaining visas.
She further explained, “We have instructed these missions to treat Indian applicants as if they were from their own host country.
This is especially true in Bangkok, where Indians do not require a visa and can travel relatively quickly.
However, our ultimate goal is for Indians to apply for visas in India, and we are working towards that.”
Julie Stufft noted that over 100 US diplomatic missions have been granting visas to Indian citizens, and as a result of these initiatives, the waiting period for visitor visa interviews has decreased by 60% in recent months.
She added, “This reduction is a result of our collective efforts to enable Indian travelers to visit the US with ease.”
Furthermore, Julie Stufft mentioned that “Visa production in India has increased by 40% compared to pre-pandemic levels,” and emphasized that the State Department is committed to reducing the waiting time for visa interviews.
Julie Stufft stated that in February, the US had recorded its highest visa production in India.
“Our team is making significant efforts, and they are making steady progress towards achieving our goal of issuing 1 million visas,” she added.
The State Department is also working on issuing other types of visas, such as student visas, as per the official.
