For the United States, reducing the wait time for US visas for Indians is the “number one priority”, the new US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said, according to reports.

Mr Garcetti is taking charges at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started preparations to fly to the US on a state visit on June 22. US President Joe Biden is also expected to visit India later this year to attend the G20 summit in Delhi.

“I am very excited to be the ambassador here not only when Prime Minister Modi will come to the US but President Biden will be able to come here as well. That’s historic. I am not sure if this has happened before, both leaders visiting each other’s country in a gap of just months,” Mr Garcetti told NDTV in an exclusive interview on Thurdsay.

On a question whether he would be looking into the issue of long wait time for US visa, Mr Garcetti said, “Absolutely, and the President said, ‘Eric, go fix this’. It’s not just a 10th or 11th priority. It’s the number one priority for me.”

“I think visas touch Indians more directly than anything else that America does. And it’s a good problem to have. More and more Indians want to come to the United States, to study, as tourists… We are committed to solving this problem,” the US Ambassador said.

“Already, wait times (for visa) are down 60 per cent since the beginning of the year. In January, February and March, we processed a record number of visas. Last year the largest source of student visas came from India than any other country. Hold on, in the next few weeks, when our leaders meet, you will get many announcements. And even before that we are prepared for the student visa season and already the wait time is getting shorter and shorter. We want more Indians to continue to come to America,” Mr Garcetti said.

The US is on track to issue more than a million visas to Indians this year, a top official had said in April. The US is also prioritising H-1B and L visas, the most sought-after by information technology professionals from India, Donald Lu, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, had said in April.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

Mr Garcetti, while talking about India’s G20 presidency amid the war in Ukraine, told NDTV that India’s G20 presidency is “impressive” as “India is a bridge between the past and the future, between east, west, north, south”.

“We stand with India on those aspirations to make sure G20 is not just about the war in Ukraine. We won’t stop speaking out strongly about an unprovoked invasion by Russia. I am sure Indians understand how important borders and sovereignty are. At the same time we know there are relationships that have been there for decades,” he told the television network.

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The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) announced on September 24 that it has resumed issuing entry permits into the country. However, work permits are still on hold.

The decision is meant to ease restrictions and strengthen the state’s efforts towards supporting recovery plans of the country’s tourism sector and economy. Precautionary measures undertaken by the travel industry to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will be followed.

The issuance of visas, with the exception of those for diplomatic passport holders, had been suspended since March as part of the country’s efforts to combat the spread of the virus.
Dubai, which has its own immigration service and crisis authority, allowed tourists to return in early June.

In Abu Dhabi, all arrivals must quarantine in their homes or a hotel room for 14 days. Last week, the authorities said travellers can expect to be fitted with an electronic tag on arrival to monitor their location for two weeks.

In Sharjah, visa on arrival is back and officials said the emirate would test all passengers on arrival. Tourists must stay in their hotel rooms until they receive their results through a text message or app notification. They can move around freely if the result is negative.

“Travel is now permitted for all citizens and residents through the ports of Sharjah to or from any destinations. However, all travellers must assess the Covid-19 situation of the countries they are planning to visit. Both tourists and residents must ensure they have adequate health insurance,” said the Sharjah Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Committee.

All travellers to the various emirates must take a PCR nasal swab test before boarding their flights in their home country.

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An advisory has been issued by the Consulate General of India in Dubai on August 10 stating that the RT-PCR negative test report that allows passengers travelling from UAE to India to avoid paid quarantine is not mandatory, but is highly recommended.

India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare revised its guidelines on August 3 permitting travellers with a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test report to seek exemption from the mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine. The test should be taken within 96 hours of departure and presented upon arrival.

Passengers can register on www.newdelhiairport.in, fill up the online declaration and upload their RT-PCR test under the ‘Air Suvidha’ portal. Subject to approval, the passenger can then proceed to their home for home quarantine.

The move will help relieve the financial pressure of a paid quarantine on passengers, and also ease the burden on state authorities catering to a large number of incoming passengers from overseas.

The Consulate in Dubai noted that the test will “undoubtedly make travel safer” for passengers, and also help the UAE and India fight against the spread of Covid-19. It advised all passengers travelling from UAE to India to carry the RT-PCR negative test report, even though it is not mandatory.

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