India presses US to resolve H-1B delay
NEW DELHI: India on Friday said it has taken up with the US the issue of delays, cancellations and difficulties in scheduling H-1B visa appointments amid mounting concerns that recent regulatory changes have affected thousands of Indian nationals. The Government of India has received several representations from Indian nationals who are facing delays or problems with the rescheduling of their visa appointments, said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). While we do understand that visa-related issues pertain to the sovereign domain of any country, we have flagged these issues and concerns of our nationals to the US side, both in Delhi and in Washington. The latest disruptions follow a series of policy changes announced by Washington, including a steep fee of $100,000 for first-time H-1B visa applicants and a move away from the random lottery system towards prioritising applicants with higher skills. From December 15, the US also expanded social media vetting to all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants, a step that has led to widespread appointment cancellations and rescheduling months later. Jaiswal said India is actively engaging with US to address the issues faced by Indians. The changes apply to H-1B visas, which allow US firms to employ foreign professionals in specialised fields such as technology, engineering and medicine, as well as H-4 visas issued to dependents. Reports say thousands of Indians have been affected with several people who travelled to India specifically to renew their visas being stranded.
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