Since the Covid-19 pandemic, protracted delays in the processing of visas for the United States have been a persistent irritant in an otherwise thriving bilateral relationship that has touched new highs and expanded in scope and depth. Despite several promises, it appears that the problem continues to linger. This newspaper reported on Monday that India’s top information technology (IT) services firms are reworking their recruitment strategies and emphasising local hires in key markets such as the United States because of mounting frustration due to lengthy wait times for work visas. This is a significant shift away from the decades-old practice of IT companies deploying a significant portion of their workforce overseas while gradually expanding local hiring. Data published by the US embassy in India shows that the wait for B1 and B2 work visas still stretches beyond 400 days in many instances – clearly indicating that fast-tracking such approvals lie more in the diplomatic domain than logistical.
Since the 1960s, Indians have immigrated to the US using three ways – temporary work visas (H-1Bs), which are employer-sponsored and issued to highly skilled workers; temporary student visas; and conversion of these temporary visas into green cards, allowing recipients to pursue a path to citizenship. This has built a thriving community of Indian-Americans who form a living bridge between the two countries, imbuing the relationship with dynamism and prosperity. But protracted visa delays hurt this crucial leg of bilateral ties, and erode goodwill. In the past, senior officials from the White House have promised to reverse these concerns on priority. Now that Washington has a full-time ambassador in New Delhi, these pledges must be acted upon, on priority.
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