The US Embassy in India has recently revealed that it will undergo a temporary closure regarding visa application processing. This closure will impact various activities, including appointment booking, calls, and fee payments, from July 12 to July 14. The responsibility of visa processing in India lies with VFS Global, which will be migrating to a new platform during this period. Services related to visa applications are expected to resume on July 15.
The US Embassy took to Twitter to inform visa applicants about this development, stating, “Attention visa applicants! Our customer service centre VFS is migrating to a new platform and will be temporarily closed for calls, fee payments, and appointment bookings from July 12-14. These services will resume on July 15.”
VFS Global, recognised as the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, is entrusted with managing administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to visa, passport, and consular services on behalf of client governments.
During a recent address at IIT Delhi, United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, highlighted significant improvements in the wait time for first-time tourist visa interviews in the United States. Ambassador Garcetti expressed that the wait time has been reduced by over 50%, showcasing commendable progress.
Moreover, she emphasised that the US Mission in India is presently processing a higher volume of visas at a faster pace than ever before. Setting an ambitious target, the mission aims to process a minimum of one million visas in 2023. Remarkably, they have already surpassed the halfway mark in achieving this goal.
The increasing number of Indians travelling abroad, especially to the United States, underscores the significance of these efforts. Ambassador Garcetti reiterated the mission’s commitment to delivering efficient and expedited visa processing services, showcasing their dedication to facilitating travel for Indian citizens.