Hassle-free US visas for students of India

Hassle-free US visas for students

George Iype | October 04, 2005


The Indian rush for US visas has prompted the American embassy to
overhaul the process of visa applications, especially for students
travelling to the United States for further studies. In fact, they
will now given priority as per the new visa regulations formulated
by the US Consulate General for Indian applicants.
If you are a student and have already applied for a visa application
appointment with the US consulate in Chennai, for instance, it is
likely that your scheduled date would come in March next year. But
your enrollment date at your US university is scheduled within the
next four weeks.
Don't worry. Now, all you need to do is take an emergency
appointment at any of the US consulates across the country. You
could also take this appointment by logging on to the consulate Web
sites.

The US has four consular offices in India: New Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai and Kolkata.

The visa concessions to the Indian student community are part of the
new US visa regulations that came into force in the country on
October 3.

According to the new norms, visa fees will have to be paid in
advance and will be non-refundable. They cannot be transferred to
any other applicant, except with special permission from the
embassy, says Counselor for Consular Affairs in India William
Bartlett.

David S Feldmann, vice consulate general, Chennai, says the new
system will considerably reduce the waiting period as far as the
interview for the visa application is concerned.

"The main difference in the new system is that the categories would
be self-selected. Earlier, applicants had to send e-mails describing
their purpose of visit, which were scrutinised by the consulate.
Now, the applicant can do the categorisation himself by following
the criteria prescribed on the Web site," he says.

The Visa Facilitation Service will now provide US visa services
throughout India.

Under the new arrangement, the non-immigrant visa application fees
of $100 (Rs 4,400) will have to be paid before booking an
appointment for an interview.

The fees, along with Rs 276 towards visa-related services -- it was
earlier Rs 441 -- can be paid at any of the 32 branches of HDFC Bank
in 12 cities across the country (check http://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ for
list of the HDFC Bank branches authorised to accept the visa
application fee).
When going to pay the fee, you will need to carry a photocopy of the
first page of your passport with you.
Take your visa application appointment two days after the fee
receipt has been issued by the bank; the receipt won't be activated
before that.