The number of persons applying for a visa for the US at the consulate in Chennai has come down by 4 per cent compared to the same period last year, said Nicholas Manring, chief of consular services at the US consulate in Chennai on Thursday.
The Chennai consulate had processed 57,218 visa applications this year and the majority had been issued. “This number is about 4 per cent less compared to last year and there are no specific reasons for the reduction. We don’t consider it significant as it is only three-month data,” he said.
The US consulate in Chennai has issued 6,044 L-visas, an increase of 27 per cent over the same period last year. Manring refuted media reports about an increase in fees for submitting H1B petitions and said that the fees remained same as last year and there were no plans to change it.
The chief of consular services also rebutted minister of state for communications and information technology Sachin Pilot’s statement that there was a sharp jump in visa rejection rates. “Visa rejection rate remained the same as last year,” he said.
Manring said that US consulates had started a pilot programme last week to waive the interview for people who renew visas, primarily tourist and short-term business travel visas, within 48 months of expiration for B1/B2 visas.
“This allows people to present their application and passport at the consulate, have their photograph and fingerprints taken, but many will not have to then go on to be interviewed,” he said.