Now renew your US visas without interview… but where are the fingers!

Chennai:

As the United States is starting to have immigration tracking system
installed in major airports, US Consulate in Chennai has started
recording all the ten fingerprints of its visa applicants while
announcing renewals without interview.

Interestingly, the scanning of fingerprints of visa applicants started
in August 2004 when both index fingers were scanned. This also comes
in the wake of US senate panel backing biometric tracking system at
all US air, sea and land ports of entry last year.

Interestingly, since 2008 United Stated consulate in Chennai has made
it mandatory to have fingerprints of all 10 fingers taken. “Those who
have got visa after August 1, 2004 but before January 1, 2008 and
submitted two prints have to make an appointment at our Chennai Visa
Application Center where you can have your fingerprints taken and drop
off your renewal application,” US consular chief Lawrence Mire told
reporters during exclusive media tour of US Consulate General Chennai
Consular section.

But those below 14 years and above 80 years are exempt from it, says Mire.

“Our goal is to facilitate legitimate travel to the US. Already this
year we have sent over two lakh travelers to the US. This is as many
as 1,500 visas per day,” he said.

This also comes in the wake of arrest of a owner of a tourism firm in
Bengaluru on Tuesday for heading a fake US visa racket, involving
forging documents to facilitate US visas for his clients. But Mire is
unfazed saying US has proper checks in place and doesn’t consider it a
threat anymore.

 He also said that US consulate has made the renewal process simpler
by waiving off the interview. However, it does have some criteria, he
said. He said till now they have given 13,500 visas under the new
scheme. “We hope this is likely to grow further,” Mire said.

He assured that using Interview Waiver Programme and mailing the
documents is faster and easier than spending two days in Chennai for
fingerprints and interview. He also urged the students to schedule
their visa interviews 120 days prior to report date mentioned on their
I-20 form. “Some applications may require additional administrative
processing. We don’t want you to miss your first day of school or your
riveting conferences,” he said.

Factfile:

--- US consulate in Chennai handles most L-1 and H1-B applications in the world

---- It is currently the 11th largest non-immigrant visa adjudicating
post in the world

---- It adjudicated approximately 25pc of all H-1B visas (40,000)

--- US Consulate General Chennai processed over 242,000 non-immigrant
visa applications, a 13 pc rise over pervious year

---More than 21,000 students visas were processed, up by 43 per cent
from last fiscal year

Interview Waiver Programme:

--- Those received visa after Jan 1, 2008 are eligible

--- Applicant has no refusals for a visa in any category

---The applicant has a previous US visa in the same class as the visa
her/she wants to renew

--- if applying for B1/B2, C1D or J Visa, the prior visa in the same
classification is still valid or expired within last 48 months