Indians biggest H1B visa seekers

As much as 65 per cent of H1B visa holders working in the USA are from India , according to consul general of the United States of America in Chennai, Jennifer A. Mcintyre. Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Ms Mcintyre, who recently assumed charge as consul general, said a majority of the H1B visas were released from the Chennai consulate. “We process a tremendous amount of business visas (H1B) at the Chennai consultate ”, she added, also revealing that the number of visa applications from Indians to visit USA had increased by 22 per cent last year. “We want more Indians to visit US and vice-versa. In 2010 we processed six lakh applications from India, which is 10 per cent of all non-immigrant visa applications worldwide. This includes tourist, business and student visas,” she said. Asked about the meeting between US special representative Reta Jo Lewis and Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, Ms Mcintyre said Ms Jaylalithaa had emphasised on her priorities such as developing infrastructure, improving education and collaboration in business sectors.And what did she think about Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement? The US consul general replied she was a firm believer in democracy and Hazare’s protest was a hallmark of it. “You had the opportunity to demonstrate peacefully and newspapers covered this well”, she observed.