On December 17, 2025, the U.S. Department of State has expanded the list of countries whose nationals may be required to post a visa bond as a condition of issuance of a B-1/B-2 (visitor) visa under the Visa Bond Pilot Program. Several additional countries are now subject to this requirement effective January 1, 2026, pursuant to INA Section 221(g)(3) and the Temporary Final Rule…

In a recent statement, the U.S. Mission to India announced that it has reached a historic milestone in 2024 by processing over 1.5 million visa applications, setting a global record for the highest number of visas processed in any single country. This remarkable achievement highlights the growing importance of U.S.-India relations and the increasing volume of…

In a recent statement, U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken announced plans to increase visa slots by 1 million for applicants, aiming to enhance the processing capacity and reduce backlogs. This expansion is intended to meet the rising travel demands as US prepares for major international events, like the FIFA World Cup, Olympics and…

Most visa applicants are required to pay a Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate as part of a U.S. Visa application, whether a visa is issued or not. This fee is non-refundable, non-transferrable and will be determined by the kind of visa being applied for. This fee must be paid in Indian Rupees based…

Foreign nationals planning to travel internationally should expect longer than usual wait times at U.S. consulates and U.S. Ports of Entry (POE) especially during the upcoming holiday season. One should consider additional factors such as evolving COVID-19 policies worldwide and updated U.S. vaccination requirements. The following provides answers to frequently asked questions related to international travel to…

Recently, the Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the US Embassy in India, Mr. Don Heflin, conducted a Q&A session via Facebook live on September 29, 2022. Addressing the delay in processing visa applications and long wait times, Mr. Heflin stated that staff shortages at U.S. consulates across India is the reason for existing delays, which…