An Indian-American member of the US Presidential Commission for Asian-Americans has praised the release of an additional 250,000 visa appointments by the US Mission in India. These slots, announced on Monday (30), will help travelers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students, get visa interviews on time.
Ajay Bhutoria, a President’s Advisory Commission member on Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), reacted positively to the news. He noted that this move directly resulted from his recommendations to the White House AANHPI commission.
The U.S. Embassies in India have opened an additional 250,000 visa appointments for travelers, including tourists, skilled workers,&students. Great to see my recommendation on the White House commission to reduce appointment wait times making a differencehttps://t.co/PS9Crrkwpm
— Ajay Jain Bhutoria (@ajainb) September 30, 2024
Bhutoria expressed gratitude to US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, and the US Embassy for their efforts to address long visa wait times. He said, “The recent opening of 250,000 additional appointments is a significant step forward in supporting Indian travellers, including families and students, seeking to visit the US. While this achievement reflects the positive impact of my recommendations… we must recognise that more work remains to be done.”
Bhutoria has been advocating for improvements in the visa process. His recommendations included increasing visa appointments and exploring the possibility of video interviews. He believes that these changes will make the process more efficient and accessible, strengthening the ties between the US and India. He added, “Together, we can continue to build stronger ties between our nations.”
The US Mission’s efforts are in line with the goals set by prime minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden to improve and speed up the visa process. Ambassador Garcetti said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I am proud to say that we have delivered on that promise.”
So far in 2024, more than 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the US, a 35% increase compared to 2023. In 2023, the US issued over 140,000 student visas to Indians, setting a record for the third consecutive year.
