U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India Begin Accepting Limited Visa Appointments for Certain F-1 and J-1 Visa Applicants
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
Starting on August 17, 2020 the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, along with the U.S. Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata will begin processing student (F-1) and academic exchange visitor (J-1) visa applications only and on a limited basis.
The U.S. Embassy and its Consulates in India will remain closed for regular immigrant and nonimmigrant services. Emergency student and exchange visitor appointment requests that were received before August 12, 2020 will be prioritized and processed first. The U.S. Embassy in India suggests that students and exchange visitors should schedule their appointments no more than three weeks in advance prior to the start date of their classes.
However, due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, the U.S. Embassy is warning prospective students and exchange visitors that there will be limited appointment availability and not all requests will be accommodated in time for the upcoming fall semester.
Separately, in connection to the Presidential Proclamation issued on June 22, 2020, the U.S. Embassy is advising that any visa applicants for H-1B, H-2B, H-4, L and certain J visa categories should request appointments at the U.S. Embassy and its Consulate in India only if they believe they would qualify for the National Interest Exceptions listed in the proclamation and the added explanation afterwards.
Due to the everchanging immigration rules and regulations and guidelines, we will continue to stay focused and monitor the situation as it develops. If there are further changes in this area, we will be sure to let our readers know. We do suggest readers to continue to visit our site to keep up to date with any further developments. We encourage you to contact our office for more formal consultation should you have any specific questions.