Indians now make up over 10% per cent of US visa applicants

Indians now represent over 10 percent of all visa applicants worldwide, including 20 percent of all student visa applicants and 65 percent of all H&L-category (employment) visa applicants, the statement said.

“Our partnership with India is among the most important bilateral relationships, and in fact, one of the most important relationships in the world.  The ties between our people are stronger than ever, and we will continue our record-setting volume of visa work in the coming months,” said Garcetti.

Early next year, the US plans to implement a pilot programme that will allow domestic visa renewal for qualified H&L-category employment visa applicants, the statement said.

The move will significantly benefit Indian tech workers, who will be able to get their visas processed while being in the US, it said. Indians receive more than three quarters of the H-1B visas annually, while the L1 visa facility is also used by a large chunk of Indian citizens.

In January, the US embassy opened up special interview slots on Saturdays for faster processing of visas for first-time applicants, in what it called a “multi-pronged initiative” to address the backlog in processing of visa applications due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Mission has also extended interview waiver eligibility to new visa

categories.