The United States has drafted a new set of visa rules.
The changes came into effect in India on Monday, July 14.
In order to comply with these procedures for processing US visas, applicants for non-immigrant (temporary) visas to the United States must, effective July 14, make an appointment to appear for a personal interview with a consular officer unless they meet one of the criteria listed below:
· Persons renewing or replacing a visa of the same category which is still valid or which expired less than 12 months ago.
· Persons 60 years of age or older, provided they have not previously been refused a visa.
· Children under 14 years of age where both parents can demonstrate that they already have US visas and that both are physically present in India.
· Government officials on official travel for the central government, regardless of the type of passport they carry (applications should be accompanied by a diplomatic note).
Persons who meet one or more of the criteria listed above may continue to submit applications through the US Embassy or Consulate General 'drop box.' Drop box applications are accepted at the following locations:
Chennai
Raheja Towers (Facing G PRoad)
S001 Omega Wing
113-124, Anna Salai
Chennai 600 002
Phone: 91 44 2860 3164 , 3165
FAX: 91 44 2860 3167
E-Mail: chennai@ttsvisas.com
Bangalore
No 219, Raheja Chambers
12, Museum Road
Bangalore 560 001
Phone: 91 80 5595002, 5594996
FAX: 91 80 5091731
E-Mail: bangalore@ttsvisas.com
Hyderabad
H No 5-10-188/2, Summit Building
Hill Fort Road
Hyderabad 500 004
Phone: 91 40 23231615, 1715
FAX: 91 40 23232957
E-Mail : hyderabad@ttsvisas.com
New Delhi
2E/23, Ground Floor
Jhandewalan Extension
New Delhi 110055
Phone: 91 11 2355 4618, 4631
FAX: 91 11 2355 4247
E-Mail : delhi@ttsvisas.com
Kolkata
22, Camac Street
Calcutta 700016
Phone: 22813782 / 22813783
FAX: 22813786
E-Mail : calcutta@ttsvisas.com
Mumbai
Tirupati Apartments
Opposite Mahalakshmi Temple
Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai 400026.
(Below Gabbana, opposite Crossword)
info@visa-services.com
Ahmedabad
Gujarat Chamber of Commerce Building
Shri Ambika Mills Compound
Ashram Road,
Ahmedabad 380009.
Pune
106, Sohrab Hall,
1st Floor, Sasson Road,
Behind Pune Railway Station
Pune 411001.
All applicants for a visa must make an appointment for an interview. In New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, applicants should make an appointment on line at www.ttsvisas.com.
Applicants from Maharastra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh may make an appointment on-line at
www.visa-services.com or by visiting the office of the Visa Facilitation Service in Mumbai, Ahmedabad or Pune.
The US Embassy feels some applicants from south India may experience difficulty in making a timely appointment due to the increased demand for visas from the US Consulate General in Chennai. As the new personal appearance requirement goes into effect, all consular sections will make additional appointments to accommodate the increased demand. Those with an urgent need to travel who cannot make a timely appointment in Chennai and who have not previously been refused a visa may, until further notice, make an appointment to apply in New Delhi or Kolkata.
To avoid delays, visa applicants can take these steps:
* Plan ahead. If you need to travel in the next few months, don't wait until the last minute to apply for an appointment. Make your appointment right away.
* If you are not planning to travel until after October, please wait until later to book your appointment. Consular officials anticipate that the wait for an appointment will be reduced once the summer rush is over.
Application forms and further information on application procedures are available through TT Services or Visa Facilitation Services. Forms and general information about the visa application process may also be downloaded from the Embassy web site at http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov or the Consulate General web sites at http://chennai.usconsulate.gov, http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov or
http://calcutta.usconsulate.gov.
More from rediff