http://www.indianexpress.com/print.php?content_id=33024
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
National Network
No visa fee for students: US
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 7 As a mark of the improving relationship between
India and the US, students, exchange visitors, transit passengers and
crewmen will no longer have to pay Rs 2,300 ($50 ) as the issuance fee
for US visa from October 11.
As many as 66,000 Indian students went to the US in the last calendar
year (2002-2003), the highest number from any country worldwide, a US
embassy spokesperson said here today. The number of Indian students is
now said to have overtaken those from China. One estimate puts the
amount of money Indian students spend at various educational
institutions in the US to about $11 billion annually. The new visa
regulations are now in line with reciprocal obligations with Indian
fees valid for US citizens.
This move comes in the wake of a reduction in the number of H-1B visas
from 200,000 to 65,000 worldwide since October 1. With India's army of
software programmers being one of the largest users of this visa
category, the impact of the reduction is likely to be felt soon. But
observers have also pointed out that with the US economy failing to
get out of recession, the number of jobs available in the US software
industry had also hit a downward spiral.
The abolition of the student visa issuance fee is good news for India,
students here say, and will definitely spur interest in US educational
institutions. The $100 or Rs 4,600 visa application fee for the
students as well as other categories of visa-seekers, including
business visas, however remains. The fee for all other categories has
also been reduced from the current $75 to $50.
An adjustment in the consular exchange rate from Rs 49 to Rs 46 per
dollar will further reduce all rupee denominated costs incurred in
applying for visas and passports at US missions. US passport
applications for children under 16 will decrease to Rs 3,220 and adult
passport renewal applications will cost Rs 2,530 while first time
adult passport applicants will have to pay Rs 3,910.
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