Embassy also said Indians now account for one of the top 10 US visa applicants & that 7,000,000 visitor visas (B1/B2) were issued to Indian citizens in 2023, the second-largest number of applications in the US Mission's history.
The US Embassy & Consulates in India say Indians now represent 1 out of every 10 US visa applicants around the world. 2023 saw 60% increase in demand for visas.
A few Indians and other foreigners on H-1B visas will be able to renew those visas, without having to travel abroad, part of a pilot program that could be expanded in coming yrs.
Brendan Mullarkey of US Embassy in New Delhi says a record 1,25,000 visas were issued to students in 2022, and demand is expected to be high in 2023 as well.
Certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training & STEM-OPT extensions who have pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, can choose premium processing.
The United States is aware of reports of Pulitzer-winning Kashmiri Sanna Irshad Mattoo allegedly being prevented from travelling to the country, a US State Department official said.
Wait time longer due to backlog of visa applications put on hold during pandemic, surge in new applications, and limited consular staff, say tourism industry leaders.
A record 62,000 US student visas were issued to Indians in 2021 — this year, the country plans on opening up at least 20-25 per cent more slots for aspiring students.
Canada faces serious foreign interference issues, but these challenges must not be weaponized to unfairly target friendly and important allies like India.
In Episode 1544 of CutTheClutter, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at some top economists pointing to the pitfalls of ‘currency nationalism’ with data from 1991 to 2004.
The decorated Naga officer from Manipur also served as envoy to Myanmar & Nagaland chief secy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a museum dedicated to the Tawang hero Thursday.
While we talk much about our military, we don’t put our national wallet where our mouth is. Nobody is saying we should double our defence spending, but current declining trend must be reversed.
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