Airlines

US to issue one million visas in India this year &reduced wait times by 50%

A minimum of one million visas should be processed by 2023, according to United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, who noted that the wait period for first tourist visa interviews has dropped by more than 50%.

In his remarks at IIT Delhi, Garcetti emphasized the advancements made in visa processing, noting that the US Mission in India is now handling visas more quickly than ever. We already carry out this. More visas are being processed right now, quicker than ever before, by the US Mission in India. We’ve committed to processing at least a million visas by 2023, and we’ve already accomplished more than half of that objective.

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The wait periods for first-time tourist visa interviews have decreased by more than 50% as a result of our initiatives, the official continued. Garcetti emphasized the need for operations to be expanded in order to remove obstacles that prevent eligible visitors from experiencing the United States. The US Ambassador declared that they would keep making investments in growing the workforce and visa operations.

In order to help consular personnel around the world assist in processing visas for the increasing number of Indian travelers, the envoy promised that “we’ll find creative solutions to streamline the visa process, such as reducing the need for in-person interviews.”

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In an effort to streamline the visa procedure, India and the US have just announced that Indian professionals can renew their work visas without flying abroad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this announcement when speaking with the Indian community in the US.

“The United States will open new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The H1B visa renewal process can now be completed within the US itself, according to a recent decision, Prime Minister Modi announced while speaking to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.

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Airlines

A 17-yr boy was arrested for making a hoax bomb threat, causing multiple flight diversions and delays.

Mumbai police have detained a 17-year-old boy from Chhattisgarh who allegedly issued bomb threats to multiple international flights via social media. According to the police, the minor made the threats to settle a financial dispute by framing another person.

The incident began on Monday night when a New York-bound Air India flight, originally departing from Mumbai, had to be diverted to New Delhi after receiving a bomb threat. The flight was later rescheduled. That same evening, two other international flights operated by IndiGo, heading to Jeddah and Muscat, also received similar threats, causing delays of several hours.

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The investigation revealed that all three threats originated from posts made by the minor from Chhattisgarh, leading to his detention. He was subsequently handed over to the local Juvenile Justice Board. The Mumbai police found that the boy had used the name and picture of another individual, also from Chhattisgarh, to create a fake social media account and issue the threats. The intention, according to the police, was to frame the other person and settle a score over a financial disagreement.

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The situation escalated on Tuesday, when a total of seven flights, including one bound for the United States, received similar threats through a social media handle. Security agencies initiated counter-terrorist drills at various airports to ensure safety. Further investigation into the minor’s actions and motivations is ongoing.