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New Delhi has sought easier visas for Indian traders and investors, participation in Washington’s public procurement and also asked the United States (US) to make permanent the system of eligible applicants to renew their H-1B visa there itself instead of coming back home, a senior government official said on Saturday.
India raised these concerns at the Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting that was co-chaired by the US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday. During the TPF meeting, the two governments noted that the movement of professional and skilled workers, students, investors and business visitors between the countries contributes immensely to enhancing bilateral economic and technological partnership.
“Minister Goyal highlighted challenges being faced by business visitors from India due to visa processing time periods and requested the US to augment processing,” a joint statement said.
The government official said that India has also asked the US to make it a permanent process for Indian H1B visa holders in the US to renew those visas in the US itself so that they do not have to come to India for that.
Currently, in the US, this state-side facility for this is a pilot programme. State-side facility means the person staying with an H1B visa can get it renewed in the US only.
“Now, we are asking to make it permanent, and we are asking to extend this facility not only to the original visa holder but to his/her family also so that the family does not need to come back to India for renewal of visas,” the official said.
India has requested the US to consider India as an ‘approved treaty country’ for E1 and E2 visas, which are for traders and investors. Currently, India does not have that status.
“So, there was a request that India should also be considered to be made a part of the treaty country so that the facility of E1 and E2 visa, which is for investors and traders, is also made available to India,” the official added.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 14-01-2024 at 03:39 IST
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