Washington: US. (US) is on track to issue more than 1 million visas to Indians this year. The Biden administration is committed this summer to making sure it processes all student visas for Indians whose school starts this fall, a senior official said.
Donald Lu, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, also said this week that he is also prioritizing work visas: H-1B and L visas, which are most sought after by India’s IT professionals. The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialized occupations that require theoretical or technical skills.
Technology companies depend on it to hire thousands of employees every year from countries like India and China.
Lu said, “We are on track to issue more than one million visas this year. This is a record for us, along with a record number of student visas and immigrant visas.” The US is committed this summer to making sure it processes all student visas for Indians whose school starts this fall, Lu said.
There is growing concern about long wait times for first-time visa applicants to India, especially those applying under the B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories. India now ranks second in the world in terms of international students coming to America. Lu said, “We also prioritize work visas: H-1B and L visas. The waiting time for this visa is now less than 60 days at some of our consular sections in India. We will continue to ensure that we prioritize visas for workers. Because, this is important for both American and Indian economy.”