Individuals in the United States applying for visas to India should expect processing delays in the coming weeks and months as India transitions to a new visa services vendor.
As of July 1, India will transfer responsibility for the processing of Indian visa applications submitted in the United States from its current third-party vendor to a new third-party vendor. The transition is expected to cause significant delays in visa processing times.
The transfer to the new Indian-owned vendor, BLS International, is a result of a mandate by the Indian government that such outsourcing contracts be made exclusively with Indian-owned companies. Currently, Travisa Outsourcing processes Indian visa applications submitted in the United States. Under Travisa, these applications are generally processed within 3 to 10 business days.
As a result of this transition, substantial delays are expected in visa processing times over the coming weeks and months. Individuals requiring a visa for travel to India on or before July 9 are advised to submit their applications in person as soon as possible. For more information about applying for a visa through Travisa, visit this link.
Contacts
For more information, or if you have any questions regarding the issues discussed in this Immigration Alert, please contact any of the following attorneys:
Washington, D.C.
Eleanor Pelta
Eric S. Bord
San Francisco
Malcolm K. Goeschl
Boston
Lisa Stephanian Burton