Table of Contents
- Visa Cuts and Tariff Hikes Turn Off Chinese Students!
- DS-160 Form to be Filled before Visa Interviews !
- Your Rights as a Visitor to the United States!
- Possibility of a 'Gold Card' $5 Million Visa for US!
- Bulgaria hopes to join Visa Waiver Program in 2026
- Benefits of 10 Year US Visa for Indian Citizens!
- Record High in International Student Enrolments!
- Faster Visa Processing Times for Visitors to US!
- Romanians Won't Need US Visa from March 2025!
- US Tech Layoffs Hit Indian Workers Hard
- US Visa Application Center Opens in the Philippines
- How Does Immigration Affect the United States?
- Decline in EB-5 Visas Issued to Indian Citizens
- Congress Introduces Bill to Add Ireland to E3 Visa
- USCIS Instituted a 250% Visa Fee Increase for Global Musicians
- Immigration is Powering US Growth
- US Consulate in Mumbai Screens 1,500 Applicants
- US Declares Visa Ban on those who Misuse Commercial Spyware
- New Immigration Rules Increase Visa Approvals for STEM workers!
- Paperless US Visas Planned - No Visa Stamps!
- US Visa Backlog Clears for Indian Applicants
- EB-5 Visa - Migration Agents must Register with USCIS
- Revived Semiconductor Manufacturing in the US
- Indians are Fourth biggest Source market for Overseas Visitor to the US
- EB-1 Indian Visa Applicants Now Face 10 Year Processing Time
- Decrease in Student Numbers due to Visa Refusals
- Proposed Changes to the E-3 Visa for Australians
22 April 2025
Visa Cuts and Tariff Hikes Turn Off Chinese Students!
Visa revocations and university funding cuts by the US administration have become a source of anxiety for international students. Those from China face additional challenges due to Washington's trade war with Beijing and the increasing vilification of Chinese citizens, students and industry insiders said. "I used to think politics was far away from me, but this year I really felt the impact of politics on international students," Chicago-based Yao said, declining to give the name of her prospective university. China had accounted for the biggest international student body in the U.S. for 15 years, until it was overtaken by India last year. The economic impact of Chinese students on the American economy was $14.3 billion in 2023, according to Open Doors data. But within the United States, the community has been portrayed as a national security threat - likened to spies sent across by the Chinese Communist Party - and threatened with proposed legislation that could bar them from universities. Since Trump returned to the White House, more than 4,700 students have been deleted from a U.S. immigration database, making them vulnerable to deportation. Chinese students have accounted for 14% of 327 visa revocation reports collected so far by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
07 April 2025
DS-160 Form to be Filled before Visa Interviews !
Recently, the U.S. Department of State implemented a significant update to the nonimmigrant visa application process that is likely to impact both prospective travelers and the broader travel and tourism industries. As of April 7, 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants must now complete and submit the DS-160 form before they can book their appointment slots for U.S. visa interviews. This change could have far-reaching effects on travelers, especially those from countries with high demand for U.S. travel, and is poised to streamline the process, improving security and efficiency for both applicants and consular staff. This update is not just a procedural change for individuals applying to visit the United States, but also one that affects the global tourism landscape, with notable consequences for travel planning, embassy operations, and wait times for U.S. visas. Previously, U.S. visa applicants were allowed to schedule their interview appointments before completing the DS-160 form. However, this sometimes led to delays and inefficiencies, as incomplete or inaccurate forms were submitted after the interview was scheduled. Under the new rules, applicants must complete the DS-160 form and submit it before securing an appointment. This change is designed to reduce processing delays, prevent appointment hoarding, and ensure that consular officers have access to accurate and complete information ahead of the interview.
24 March 2025
Your Rights as a Visitor to the United States!
I have valid travel documents. Can customs officers stop and search me? Yes. US customs officers can stop people at entry points to assess whether they can come into the US. They are permitted to search travelers’ belongings for contraband, according to the ACLU of Pennsylvania. They can do this even if there’s nothing suspicious about you or your belongings. Customs agents are not allowed to search you or conduct another inspection “based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity or political beliefs”. What about my mobile phone? The government asserts that their authority to search travelers without individualized suspicion also includes searches of electronic devices, including cellphones and laptops. That said, this assertion remains “a contested legal issue”, the ACLU said. Customs officers have at times asked travelers to give them their phone or laptop passwords when they were going to or from the US. And if I refuse to unlock my devices? Citizens of the US can’t be denied entry if they refuse to provide passwords or unlock their devices. However, if they refuse, it could prompt a delay, still more questioning and customs officers taking their phone for further inspection. This should also be true for US lawful permanent residents who have been admitted to the US before and maintain their immigration status, as their green cards “can’t be revoked without a hearing before an immigration judge”. For visa holders and travelers from visa waiver countries, they are at risk of being denied entry if they refuse to unlock devices, the ACLU said. If my country is in the visa waiver program, can I enter? In general, the visa waiver program allows citizens of about four dozen countries to enter for up to 90 days without a visa for tourism or business. Citizens of the US, in turn, can travel up to 90 days in program countries. But, travelers from waiver program countries still need valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval before they come here for at least 72 hours prior to getting on a flight, the New York Times explains. However, you can’t get an ESTA if you traveled to certain places after specified times, such as Cuba after 12 January 2021, the Times said. Without an ESTA, a tourist visa is necessary.