US to set up visa office in Hyderabad

[OhioChick]

Source: Economic Times India

27 Jun, 2008, 1700 hrs IST, PTI

CHENNAI: The US Government has decided to set up a visa office in Hyderabad by this year end, David Hopper, US Consul General here, said on Friday.

Announcing this at an 'open house' interaction with the media here, Hopper said the full-fledged visa office will be set up at Hyderabad by the end of 2008. This will help students and others in Andhra Pradesh 'to get their visa done in Hyderabad itself instead of travelling to Chennai',he said.

'Embassy here dealing with the Southern States of India receive three lakh applications annually and of this one third is from Andhra Pradesh. In order to ease the process the US Government has decided to set up a full-fledged visa office in Hyderabad', he said.

The 'Open House' convened by the embassy dealt with the processes of issuance of student visa. Hopper said a student needs to spend about 60 to 90 minutes for his or her visa.Referring to bogus documents submitted by students along with visa applications, he said "we are worried that some student visa applicants do not succeed in obtaining visas because they are confused by the application process and requirements'.



Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/US_to_set_up_visa_office_in_Hyderabad/articleshow/3172738.cms

[bean fidhleir]

1. They're just shameless, aren't they. Totally shameless.

And we're totally supine in the face of it.

[DWilliamsamh]

2. Ok. What is the relevence here? Is this good or bad for the U.S and/or India?

[OhioChick]

3. Just "maybe" it may have something to do with this....

38% rise in Indian students going to US

9 Jun 2008, 0155 hrs IST

CHENNAI/MUMBAI: America continues to grow in stature as the most-favoured destination for Indian students with the last seven months showing a 38% increase in the number of candidates going there.

What's more, Chennai seems to be one of the largest exporters in the country.

Sample this: 38,274 student visas were issued from across the country in fiscal year 2006-07 (October 2006 to September 2007), of which the Chennai consulate gave out 19,973.

Correspondingly, between October 2007 and April 2008, 50,316 student visas were issued from across the country, of which the Chennai consulate alone accounted for 24,975.

With a rising middle class in India able to afford American university programmes and schools actively recruiting them, Indians have become the largest group of international students in the US.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/38_rise_in_Indian_students_going_to_US/articleshow/3112099.cms

[varun]

5. This is good for both India and US

These students pay out of state tuition at US Universities (I read somewhere that US Higher Education is now among the top foreign exchange earners in the country). Some of them return to India and help build the country. They lead to improved relations between the countries.

Its a win win situation.

[ihavenobias]

14. That's true, but it's overly simplistic to say it's simply a "win win"

Not making education affordable for many here is doubly damaging. Americans that can't afford to get the skills they need to compete in a global workplace are hurt even more when we import and export labor.

[PassingFair]

7. Bucking the trend, my 16 year old daugher just got back from 11 months...

in Pune as a foreign exchange student.

She loved India, but she would have had
a better experience had she been a b-o-y.....

[DWilliamsamh]

12. I know a lot of Indians are immigrating or getting schooling here. The Question is:

So? What's your point?

[OhioChick]

13. See Posts # 3 and #10. n/t

[DWilliamsamh]

15. OK.. So since you won't spell it out, are you pissed that Indian's are immigrating?

Or that it's harder for American's to go to india on a visa that vice versa? Are you raising an immigration concern? If so what is the issue? Or is it just an issue of fairness in policies?

[OhioChick]

16. Fairness in Policies....

If they want the U.S. to open our borders than they should reciprocate with the same.

If the jobs are moving over there, shouldn't U.S. citizens have the opportunity to go over there to better themselves? Or it it okay for Indians to play Protectionist?

[DWilliamsamh]

17. OK... Now e have a conversation

Actually I disagree but not because its OK, in my opinion, for India to be protectionist. Or for us. The important thing is to keep the JOBS here so Americans won't HAVE to move to India to have opportunity. Immigration policies have nothing to do with that end. Trade and employment policy does. It is trade and employment policies that need to be "protected." I know this has been demonized by the right with all their talk of "free trade" and the purity of the unregulated "free market," but what ever happened to tariffs? What ever happened to the idea that if it cost 50% less to produce in another country, no problem import the product if you want to but you will pay a tariff that equalizes the costs of production, or at least makes it a close call?

[ihavenobias]

18. I'll be a broken record

In addition to bad trade policy, not making education affordable for many here is doubly damaging. Americans that can't afford to get the skills they need to compete in a global workplace are hurt even more when we import and export labor.

[UndertheOcean]

4. So ?

[fasttense]

6. Well at least someone besides the uber wealthy can afford

the tuition here in the US.

[redqueen]

9. The middle class seems to be growing in India... not sure about here. (nt)

[pattmarty]

8. That's fucking nice. Can US citizens "apply" for India visas???

:sarcasm:

[OhioChick]

10. To answer your question seriously...

Less number of US students coming to India for studies

Chalsa (WB), Dec 18:Less number of American students were coming to India for studies because of the "inordinate delay" in getting Indian visas, US embassy public affairs minister counsellor Larry Schwartz claimed here today.

"For some reason or the other, may be bureaucratic process, American students are not getting Indian visas while Indian students are getting US visas and all help to study in America," Schwartz said, addressing a three-day conference for Fulbright scholars in South Asia. "This year 30 American students could not avail Indian visas as they were issued very late," he said.

Another reason for less students coming here was the "interference" by Indian authorities in the choice of subjects of US students, Schwartz said.

He said delays in issuing Indian visas was "unfortunate", especially when indo-us ties were getting stronger. The Fulbright, would shortly open a centre at R.E.C at Silchar in Assam soon to cover more areas in the north-eastern region to help more students get opportunities to study in America, he added.

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=342876&sid=NAT&ssid=

Why the "interference by Indian authorities?"

[pattmarty]

11. My guess is it's partially racial. India with their caste system.....

....is highly stratified and the other reason is the same reason some here have with "Mexicans", dislike of foreigners. I don't want to get a whole shitstorm of people calling ME a racist over this either. Believe it or not there are a LOT of other countries that are just as bad or worse than we are on that subject. We have an awful long way to go here yet on the subject, but I don't want another country to point a finger at me (American) calling me a racist when they are at least as bad or fucking a lot worse. I believe India is one of those countries that is "worse".