Chennai is slowly getting back on its feet, with millions of people across the globe, reaching out with a helping hand. Humanity is at its best in this difficult and trying times. The U.S. consulate in Chennai, on account of safety of the applicants, will remain closed on Monday, December 7, 2015. The biometrics appointments…

A notification on www.ustraveldocs.com/in, the official visa information website of the U.S. missions in India indicates that the U.S. Consulate in Chennai and the Visa Application Center (VAC) will remain closed on Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4, 2015. This is a precautionary measure, given the current flood situations in Chennai. Applicants should login…

On July 24, 2015, we had reported that the visa application center (VAC) in Chennai was relocated to from Cenotaph Road to Kodambakkam High Road. This update can be found here.  One of our subscribers and follower of MurthyIndiaDOTCom brought it to our attention that though the address shows the building on the Kodambakkam High…

Pursuant to Section 402 of Public Law 111-230, an additional filing fee of US$ 2,000 for certain H-1B petitions and US$2,250 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions was introduced. Subsequently, another Public Law was passed on January 2, 2011 that extended the fees for filings until September 30, 2015. This law has sunset and effective…

On November 5, 2012, we had reported that H and L visas were included under the Interview Waiver Program (IWP), we had also indicated that for H visas, one of the primary criteria is that the applicant should  continue to work for the same petitioner / employer. A recent and significant change in this criteria…

The passport collection center in Pune (Sohrab Hall) is closed until further notice on account of a fire incident. An update on the official visa information website of the U.S. missions in India indicates that no passports or documents were damaged in the incident. Until this center is operational, a temporary passport collection / pass…

Effective September 1, 2015; Banks in India will remain closed on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. U.S. visa applicants will not be able to pay the visa application fee on these days, even using the online National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) facility. However, the Banks will work full day on all odd…

Regular readers of MurthyIndiaDotCom are aware of the L-1 (“intracompany transferee”) nonimmigrant visa classification that permits certain multinational companies to transfer employees from their foreign operations to their operations in the United States. L-1A classification applies to transfers of employees in managerial and executive cadre and L-1B classification is for employees who possess “specialized knowledge”.…

Regular readers of MurthyIndiaDotCom are aware that the U.S. Citizenship Services Section of the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, periodically provides outreach services at Bengaluru to help U.S. citizens submit applications for passport renewals for minors and first time adult passport for U.S. citizens. A recent update on their website indicates that U.S. Consulate General Chennai’s American Citizens…

With effect from Tuesday, September 1, 2015 the U.S. consular exchange rate is adjusted to ₹68 to one US$. The consular exchange rate was ₹66 to one US$ prior to this. This revision in the exchange rate will affect the Indian Rupee equivalent for all application fees paid on or after September 1, 2015. The…