US visa likely to turn dearer
In US fiscal 2007, which ended on September 30, the US issued 3.3 m tourist & business visas worldwide and out of these 17% were issued in India.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: An upward revision of visa fees to the US can be expected soon, but assistant secretary for consular affairs, Maura Harty, was not prepared to make a statement to this effect. She said: “As bureau of consular affairs is trying to sort out the cost of service study, I am not prepared to make a statement about a rise in visa fees, but seldom do cost of things come down.”
The bureau of consular affairs is a fee-funded organisation and is mandated to undertake periodic cost revision of service studies.
Ms Harty is in India to work closely with her counterparts to deal with the challenges of visa fraud posed by middlemen taking advantage of the gullibility of some Indian travellers applying for US visas.
“You need no middlemen,” Ms Harty cautioned Indian visa applicants, and asked them not to fall prey to visa frauds. “An applicant need not come through an agent to take an appointment or have an interview in a consulate. We caution visa applicants not to be fooled by advertisements for visa documents and packages or promises of guaranteed visas.”
India accounts for the lion’s share of visas issued by the US. In US fiscal 2007, which ended on September 30, the US issued 3.3 million tourist and business visas worldwide and out of these 17% were issued in India.
“India represents a critical and growing portion of our workload in the bureau of consular affairs. Two-way travel is expanding fast. Our posts estimate that nearly one hundred thousand Americans will travel to India this year.
Demand for US visas in India is on the rise — a 61% increase. India’s share of the visas is on the rise. The four US consulates in India processed 7,25,000 visas in 2007, an increase of 58% over 2006. More than half of these were for tourist and business visas, which saw an 80% increase.
“We issued just over 5,71,400 visas in India alone. Our posts in India process over 1,00,000 temporary worker visas per year, more than in any other country in the world. India has more students studying in the United States — 80,000 — than any other country, and this year we received over 50,000 student visa applications from Indians, the highest number ever,” said Ms Harty.
The bureau of consular affairs is a fee-funded organisation and is mandated to undertake periodic cost revision of service studies.
Ms Harty is in India to work closely with her counterparts to deal with the challenges of visa fraud posed by middlemen taking advantage of the gullibility of some Indian travellers applying for US visas.
“You need no middlemen,” Ms Harty cautioned Indian visa applicants, and asked them not to fall prey to visa frauds. “An applicant need not come through an agent to take an appointment or have an interview in a consulate. We caution visa applicants not to be fooled by advertisements for visa documents and packages or promises of guaranteed visas.”
India accounts for the lion’s share of visas issued by the US. In US fiscal 2007, which ended on September 30, the US issued 3.3 million tourist and business visas worldwide and out of these 17% were issued in India.
“India represents a critical and growing portion of our workload in the bureau of consular affairs. Two-way travel is expanding fast. Our posts estimate that nearly one hundred thousand Americans will travel to India this year.
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The US department of commerce reported 4,07,000 arrivals from India in 2006 — an increase of 18% over the previous year — and estimates that this year India will move into the ranks of the top 10 countries sending visitors to the US,” said Ms Harty.Demand for US visas in India is on the rise — a 61% increase. India’s share of the visas is on the rise. The four US consulates in India processed 7,25,000 visas in 2007, an increase of 58% over 2006. More than half of these were for tourist and business visas, which saw an 80% increase.
“We issued just over 5,71,400 visas in India alone. Our posts in India process over 1,00,000 temporary worker visas per year, more than in any other country in the world. India has more students studying in the United States — 80,000 — than any other country, and this year we received over 50,000 student visa applications from Indians, the highest number ever,” said Ms Harty.
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