Calcutta No Longer Issuing Out-of-District Visa Appointments
Posted Jun 24, 2005
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The U.S. Consulate General in Calcutta, India, announced on June 14, 2005 that visa applications from persons from southern India will no longer be routinely accepted. This change in policy is due to anticipated staffing shortages over the next few months.
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Existing Appointments Honored
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The U.S. Consulate at Calcutta will honor existing nonimmigrant visa appointments for people who live out of the region served by the Calcutta consulate. They will no longer, however, set an appointment unless the individual resides in the states and regions served by the U.S. Consulate at Calcutta, which covers: Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Jharkhand, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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New Delhi Still an Option for Some
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The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, will continue to take nonimmigrant visa applicants from outside its district. This may help alleviate a bit of the pressure on the consulates in Chennai and Mumbai, helping people from southern India. There are substantial waiting times, however, for visa appointments throughout India. Approximate waiting times for appointments at all consulates are available on the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Website. It has become necessary to factor in a waiting time of about two to five months for a visa appointment when planning to travel to the United States, in many cases.
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Emergency Appointments
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Each consulate has a procedure for accommodating true emergency situations. These expedited, emergency appointments are reserved for people within the consular district. Emergencies that will be considered include family emergencies (death or critical illness), urgent medical needs that cannot be met in India, urgent business needs and other similar matters. These emergency procedures are explained on each consulate's website. These are available through the DOS Website, as well.
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Students' / Exchange Visitors' Visas Given Priority
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Those applying for student (F-1 / M-1) or Exchange Visitor (J-1) visas will be accommodated with an appointment prior to the start of their student or exchange visitor programs. This accommodation does not apply to people who have had their visa applications rejected twice in the past six months.
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What to Expect
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Typical waiting periods at various Consular Sections in India are, at the time of this writing :
 Visas Chennai New Delhi Calcutta Mumbai
 Visitors 135 Days* 102 Days* 70 Days* 70 Days*
 Students/ Exchange
 Visitors 		72 Days* 4 Days* 1 Day* 10 Days*
 All Other Nonimmigrants 135 Days* 102 Days* 70 Days* 70 Days*

* These are calendar days, which include weekends and holidays when consulates and embassies are closed.

Processing times for most embassies is 2 working days, but this could vary for cases that require additional special clearance or administrative processing. If this process is involved, it requires additional time and most special clearances are resolved within 30 days of application. When additional administrative processing is required, the timing varies based on the individual circumstances of each case
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Conclusion
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We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy urge visa applicants from the Indian subcontinent, especially those who fall under the Chennai Consular district, to schedule a visa appointment with the appropriate U.S. consulate or embassy as soon as they foresee a need to travel on business or for personal reasons. Considering the volume of applications, the Consular Sections have been continuously making efforts to minimize the waiting time, but the demand for visas is also increasing!

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