A press release on www.ustraveldocs.com/in indicates that the Visa Application Center (VAC) in Kolkata will remain open only until 1 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) on May 12, 2014 on account of General Elections. Generally, this is open until 4 p.m. Effectively, all non-immigrant visa applicants who have an appointment later than 1 p.m. IST…

The U.S. consulate in Mumbai is celebrating Visa Wednesday on May 28, 2014. This is to help student who plan to pursue their education in the United States. More than 1,000 students are expected to participate in this event. Staff from the Consulate and the United States-India Education Foundation (USIEF) will be available to provide…

This article is with respect to a recent change in the Arrival / Departure formalities for International travelers. International travelers, arriving into India would be familiar with Arrival (Disembarkation) Card and Indian Nationals traveling out of India will be familiar with Departure (Embarkation) card. With effect from March 1, 2014, Indian Nationals are not required…

We are often contacted by Immigrant Visa Applicants, seeking clarification on the mode of payment and the consular exchange rate for Immigrant Visa Fees payable at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai. This article is to clarify this matter. Regular readers of MurthyIndiaBulletin are aware that all Immigrant Visa…

Regular readers of MurthyIndiaBulletin and visitors to www.murthyinida.com are aware that Attorneys from Murthy Immigration Services, Chennai visit the office at Hyderabad to meet with clients on the third Friday of every month. Since April 18, 2014 is a holiday on account of “Good Friday”, the Attorney will visit on Thursday, April 17, 2014 instead…

Applicants from Houston and San Francisco Need to Submit “Additional Particulars Form” BLS International handles all Indian visa, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO), and Renunciation applications in the U.S.A. A notification on their website indicates that, effective April 1, 2014, all residents of Houston and San Francisco who need to…

The Cathedral Road entrance at the U.S. Consulate, Chennai, is currently being renovated. Therefore, between March 24 and April 8, 2014, visitors to the Consulate’s American Library & Education / USIEF, should use the “Anna Salai” entrance and join the queue meant for general visitors, if they arrive between 12 noon and 5 p.m., IST.…

The nonimmigrant visa section at the U.S. Consulate, Chennai, will be closed to the public on April 24, 2014, according to a recent notification on the official visa information website of the U.S. missions in India. Consequentially, anyone who has a confirmed nonimmigrant visa or biometrics appointment for April 24, 2014, should reschedule. There is…

Regular readers of MurthyIndiaBulletin and MurthyIndiaDotCom are aware that both nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applicants must attend a biometrics appointment at the Visa Application Center (VAC) prior to their visa interviews. Generally, applicants are allowed to join the queue 15-minutes prior to their scheduled biometrics appointment. Applicants who arrive much earlier than their scheduled appointment…

CBP commenced operation of its preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates, on January 26, 2014. CBP now has 16 preclearance facilities in 6 countries. Ordinarily, passengers undergo immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections upon arrival at a U.S. airport. However, passengers travelling through one of these 16 preclearance facilities including the new…