RELO NEWS
U.S. consulates in India are experiencing significant backlogs in non-immigrant visa appointments for H, L and other employment-based non-immigrant visas.
Foreign nationals seeking a non-immigrant visa are facing wait times of 75 to more than 115 days to secure an appointment in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. The delays do not affect B-1/B-2 visitor visas or F-1 student visas.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State today announced the immediate implementation of recently enacted restrictions on travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Those who are no longer authorized to use the VWP will need to obtain a visa for future business or tourism travel to the United States, unless they qualify for an exemption or a waiver of the new VWP travel restrictions.
The FY 2016 appropriations legislation enacted last week contains significant revisions to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The new law (1) prohibits citizens of VWP member countries from entering under the program – i.e., visa-free – if they have visited or have dual nationality with certain countries of concern; and (2) imposes more stringent passport requirements on VWP travellers.
Though several key provisions of the new law took effect when the law was passed on December 18, the Departments of Homeland Security and State have not yet provided guidance on how they will be implemented. Therefore, many questions about the impact of the new law – particularly the travel restrictions – remain unanswered for now.
The following are Fragomen’s preliminary responses to frequently asked questions about the new VWP passport requirements, travel restrictions and the potential impact of the new law on U.S. citizens travelling to VWP partner countries. These FAQs will be updated as the government provides more clarity about the revised rules.
