There is no scope for one country to interfere in another country’s visa issuance process. It is well known that each country decides, according to its own policies, who should be granted visas and who should not. After Donald Trump assumed office as the President of the United States for the second time, the decisions he has been taking have caused widespread confusion across the world. In India’s case, students as well as IT employees are facing numerous difficulties. No one asks the United States to issue visas to those who violate its rules, and even if someone does, a country like the U.S. would not pay heed. However, due to the sudden decisions taken by the U.S. government, Indians are facing many hardships. On this issue, NRIs say that a large number of IT professionals are sending emails in big numbers to Union External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, requesting him to intervene in the matter. They are mainly highlighting the recent developments. The key points mentioned are as follows.
Over the past several weeks, a large number of visa interview appointments at U.S. consulates in India have been abruptly canceled or rescheduled. In many cases, this has happened with only four to five days’ prior notice. Many applicants had already completed their fingerprinting appointments and traveled to India specifically for visa stamping. After these cancellations, interviews are being postponed by four to six months. As a result, many people are getting stranded in India, with no clarity on when they will be able to return to their jobs in the United States. This sudden uncertainty is causing severe distress to Indian professionals and their families. Many applicants have valid, approved petitions and are working in critical sectors such as technology, healthcare, and research. Despite fully complying with all procedural requirements, the prolonged and unexpected delays are severely disrupting livelihoods, professional responsibilities, and long-term planning, it has been mentioned in the emails sent to Jaishankar.
They have also recalled that in 2022, your timely intervention in raising concerns about prolonged U.S. visa wait times with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken resulted in the release of over one lakh employment-based visa appointments. That step at the time provided significant relief to thousands of Indian applicants. Keeping the current situation in mind, several emails are reaching his office requesting that your office once again consider engaging with U.S. authorities to seek clarity, predictability, and transitional measures to prevent sudden interview cancellations and to ensure that Indian nationals who are lawfully employed abroad do not remain stranded for long periods. As in the past, it has been stated that temporary or phased solutions, such as the release of a large number of appointments, could significantly reduce the hardships currently being faced.