Student visa applications to U.S. from south India up by 15 per cent

There is a consistent increase in the number of south Indian students going to the United States for higher education and the student visa applications in the consulate in Chennai are up by 15 per cent this financial year, Jennifer A. McIntyre, Consul General of the U.S. Consulate, Chennai, said on Tuesday.

Over 1 lakh Indians currently study in the U.S., she said at ‘Doing business with USA’, an interactive programme organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce here.

She said the consulate in Chennai was the 13th largest non-immigrant visa adjudicating post in the world and number one for processing professional workers’ visas. In the financial year 2013, Chennai adjudicated about 2.3 lakh visas, of which half were for professional work and business travel, she added.

FDI in the U.S.

India has been among the fastest growing sources of foreign direct investment into the United States, exceeding 28 billion dollars in 2012, Ms. McIntyre said. Bilateral trade between India and the U.S. had grown from around 26 billion dollars to around 63 billion dollars in the last seven years and it was expected to touch the 100 billion-dollar mark soon, she added.

John M. McCaslin, Minister Counsellor for Commercial Affairs and Senior Commercial Officer, the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi, said his country offered a cost advantage for the manufacturing sector now, with “a drastic decrease in energy cost.”

He said the U.S. Commercial Service, India, would have a ‘Select USA’ roadshow in Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi in April to promote locations to potential investors and industry associations. Shows will be held in Bangalore on April 8 and 9.

One of the repeated demands at the event was for opening a consular office in Bangalore, given the volume of transaction. Ms. McIntyre, while making no promise on opening an office or a fingerprint unit for visa applicants, said that Chennai office would work to make it easier for Bangaloreans to avail of visas.

For more news and updates, assistance with your visa needs or for a Free Assessment of your profile for Immigration or Work Visa’s just visit www.y-axis.com