US Consular Update - India!

 US Consular Update- India!

By

Dev B. Viswanath, Esq.

Due to rising COVID rates and for the safety and protection of our customers and staff, the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai will only provide limited visa services until further notice, effective immediately, in accordance with a recent announcement made by the US Citizenship Consular Post - Mumbai. As a result, some visa appointments that were scheduled will be canceled.

In the event of appointment cancellations, applicants have been directly notified by email from the Consulate. Candidates who have not been notified of a cancellation of an interview should plan to show up at the scheduled time and date. At this time, appointments are unaffected at the United States Embassy in New Delhi as well as the general consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

The United States Embassy in New Delhi, the general consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, and a select few regular visa appointments for all visa classes continue to be accommodated. The Consulate anticipates that appointment slots will be filled quickly, but appointments will be added as often as they become available. There is a temporary suspension of other routine services.

The US consular services are unable to confirm when delayed immigrant visa appointments may occur because of significant pandemic backlogs. If the Immigrant Visa Unit at the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai has written to ask you to set up an appointment for a visa interview, you should check right away to see if you can still make it.

The following is additional information from the Consular Post:

Required Negative COVID-19 Test for Travel: A negative COVID-19 test—a viral detection test for SARS-CoV-2 approved or authorized by the relevant national authority—taken within 72 hours of departure will be required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for all air passengers entering the United States on January 26. Prior to boarding, airlines must confirm the negative test result for each passenger. If passengers do not provide evidence of a negative test or recovery, airlines must deny boarding.

Apps for a Drop Box: All non-immigrant visa categories are now accepted for renewal by drop box at Visa Application Centers across India up to 48 months after expiration. A visa that expired 48 months prior to the date of application is eligible for an interview waiver for a visa application in the same classification.

Visa Appointments Based on Employment: On March 31, 2021, Presidential Proclamation 10052, which temporarily suspended the entry of certain H-1B, J (for certain Exchange Visitor Program categories), and L nonimmigrants, came to an end. A select few appointments for employment-based visas are being accommodated by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India, including those that were previously affected by the suspension. Please be aware that nonimmigrant visa processing times vary, but typically take at least a week.

Validity Extension: Visa Fees The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are aware that many visa applicants have paid the application fee but have not yet scheduled an appointment for their visa. We are putting in a lot of effort to quickly and safely restore all routine visa operations. All applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations will have the opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee, so rest assured that the U.S. Mission will extend the validity of your payment (the MRV fee) until September 30, 2022. Please keep an eye on this website for updates on when we will resume routine visa processing.

How to Schedule an Expedited Time: Through the online appointment system, applicants can request an expedited appointment. To request an expedited appointment, you must already have a confirmed interview date. You will receive an email with instructions in the event that your request for an emergency appointment is granted. Unless you are informed that your request for an emergency appointment has been approved, you should not cancel your current appointment.