The State Department unable to say when U.S. missions in India will reopen to stamp passports. There is little hope for the early return of more than a thousand unstamped H-1B and other nonimmigrant visa holders stranded in India with no official word on the reopening of U.S. missions there.
When will US Visa Stamping in India be allowed again?
Due to the Presidential proclamation on April 30, 2021, that imposes a travel ban to the US from India, US Consulates and Embassy in India have canceled all US Visa stamping appointments until further notice. There is no estimated date when they will lift the travel ban.
Are VFS centers in India closed for Passport stamping?
VFS Centers In India Indefinitely Closed For Passport Stamping And Biometric Collection. On May 3, 2021, the Canadian High Commission in India announced a closure of all but the most urgent consular services due to the emerging COVID-19 situation. Consequently, VFS centers closed for regular services indefinitely.
Are US visa appointments in India cancelled?
All US Visa appointments in India cancelled at US Embassy in Delhi and all consulates in India until further notice. See below screenshot of news. There is no estimated date when they will resume the Visa stamping appointments in India. Consulates are only providing emergency appointment services for US Citizens.
Which countries have reopened their visa application centre in Kolkata?
Besides Iceland, Germany has also reopened its visa application centre located in Kolkata, India. Authorities in Germany announced that the German visa application centre in Kolkata is accepting D visas designed for Master students with unconditional offer letters and category C (seafarers, transit) sent to Mumbai.
How long is a visa application valid for?
There is no fee to change an appointment and visa application fees are valid for one year in the country where the fee was paid. The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law.
When did Biden suspend travel to India?
On April 30, President Biden signed Presidential Proclamation 10199 suspending most nonimmigrant travel from India. In light of the travel suspension and due to the current pandemic situation in India, most other routine nonimmigrant visa and VAC appointments at U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, ...
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
How to request an expedited appointment?
How to Request an Expedited Appointment: Applicants can request an expedited appointment through our online appointment system at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/expedited-appointment.html. You must already have a confirmed interview appointment date in order to request an expedited appointment. If your expedited appointment request is approved, you will be notified with instructions via email. You should not cancel your existing appointment unless you receive a confirmation that your request for an expedited appointment has been approved. If you have not yet received an approval or denial, your request is still under consideration.
What are the exceptions to the suspension of entry?
There are certain exceptions to the suspension of entry, including exceptions for certain family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, among other exceptions listed in the proclamations.
Is there a drop box for visa renewal in India?
Drop Box Appointments: Consular sections across India are now accepting a limited number of drop box applications for renewals of H, L, C1/D, O, I, F, M, and J visas at our Visa Application Centers. Please visit our website to determine whether you are eligible for drop box processing and schedule an appointment for document drop-off. A list of drop-off locations is available on our website.
When will USCIS cancel visas?
In response to worldwide challenges due to the outbreak of COVID19, the Department of State is suspending routine visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. 2. All routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa appointments will be cancelled by Embassies and consulates as of March 20, 2020.
Is the US consulate open for emergency appointments?
US consulate is partially open for emergency appointment. You can schedule appointment in any consulate under NIE but you need to provide the reason for NIE in a written cover letter.
Is H1B visa free?
USCIS News on June 22 2020. The trump administration has passed an executive order to ban certain visas including H1b, H4, L1 and J1. The ban says that no new visas will be issued to said category. But those having visas are free to travel.
Will the US embassy reopen in India?
But if you want to know when the US consulates and embassies will reopen in India, you can directly email to the particular consulate or embassy. You can even call them and ask about the updates. As of now US consulates and embassies are closed in India for all kinds of Visas except emergency work. According to our sources they may open consulates ...
How to contact India visa?
For visa inquiries, the best and fastest way to communicate is to email to [email protected] or call the call center during business hours to speak to a representative.
How to apply for a visa for a foreigner?
To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative (s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. The sponsor begins the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You may wish to review our Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to learn about the different types of immigrant visas to the United States, including our Diversity Visa Program. Then, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process, or on the Diversity Visa Process, on usvisas.state.gov to begin applying for an immigrant visa.
When will VFS centers reopen?
This echoes similar measures last year when VFS centers in India were closed during the beginning of the pandemic, only to finally reopen in late November 2020. Although there is no direct instruction regarding when the centers will reopen, and thus many people are left with no concrete idea of how long they will have to wait for the processing of their applications, we do have some positive news that should at least alleviate some concern. Once the services resume, VFS centers will waive the deadlines for passport submission and biometric collection (30 days and 90 days respectively). No further action will be required from applicants, and the letters they have received will be valid despite expired dates.
When will Canada adjust its border measures?
The government of Canada will adjust its border measures on 30 Nov. 2021.
Why are Iceland visas closed?
Iceland’s visa application centres in India have temporarily remained closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and its new strains, which have profoundly affected countries worldwide.
Where is the German visa application centre?
Besides Iceland, Germany has also reopened its visa application centre located in Kolkata, India. Authorities in Germany announced that the German visa application centre in Kolkata is accepting D visas designed for Master students with unconditional offer letters and category C (seafarers, transit) sent to Mumbai.
Is the D visa suspension suspended?
However, VFS Global has stressed that the processing of D visa applications will remain suspended until the travel ban is lifted. Still, the company has clarified that customers can still submit their applications (master student/guest scientist/researcher).
Why is Ashu Mahajan stuck in India?
Ashu Mahajan, a 44-year-old H1B professional from New Jersey, is left helpless in India and pleading with the US government for return to his family because of the selective move restricting entry to certain travelers from India – which his wife calls ‘an irony’. Anu Sharma, an H4 visa holder from California, has also got stuck in India for an indefinite period of the US travel restriction. A virus can transmit through anyone, a US citizen or a non-US citizen; it does not differentiate. We feel we are once again penalized because we are in the long queue for green cards,” she told the American Bazaar.
Is Biden's proclamation a restriction on travel to India?
President Biden’s proclamation restricting travel from India, beginning May 4, mostly affects H1B and H4 visa holders whose spouse is neither a US citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. They are not subject to the proclamation if they are parents of a US-born kid. However, there is a way out for some of those who are not exempt from the restriction on entry into the United States.
Is India going back to the US?
Since the pandemic began, time has been a roller-coaster ride for many non-immigrant US visa holders. They are back to where they were early in 2020. In the wake of the pandemic, India suspended all international flights, inbound and outbound, leaving thousands of non-immigrant visa holders stranded and separated from their families in the US until the launch of Vande Bharat Mission expanding to air bubble travel. A little more than a year later, they have met with the same fate in the aftermath of the US government’s entry restriction for certain travelers from India, effective this May 4.
When will Delhi open for visa processing?
End of Jan 2021: secured another slot for Feb when Delhi opened up for limited visa processing.
When was the H1B work location amendment approved?
H1B work location amendment for remote work due to pandemic – approved in Sept 2020
Is the US consulate in India open?
US Consulates in India are not fully open yet for regular operations. They are giving limited H1B, H4, L1, B1/B2 slots across all the US consulates in Chennai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and US Embassy in New Delhi. Many of the community members were generous to contribute anonymously all these experiences that are listed in this article ...
Is India affected by the Proclamation?
Impacted by proclamation, Been in India since Jan 2020, No Chamber of Commerce connection
