Need to improve US visa process to strengthen ties with India

United States, 26th June: There is an urgent need to streamline US visa process in order to have better ties with India, stated a senior US official during a meeting with the US-Indian officials in Washington on Thursday.

Although, much has been done to streamline the process of US visas under the guidance of Obama administration, however, there is still scope for desired improvements in the US visa process. 

This was stated by the advisor to the American president on science and technology, Dr. John P Holdren. 

Dr. Holdren acknowledged that visas have continued to be a continuous problem in the cooperation between science and technology.

While speaking on the inaugural meet of first America-India Joint Commission on Science and Technology Cooperation, he reiterated on the immediate need for streamlining the procedure of US visas. 

Similarly, representing the Indian team, Prithviraj Chavan, Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology said that the joining together of both the US and India will certainly have a great effect on the future. He said that India is progressing to become a large economy while the US is already a big economy. 

Both the participating nations not just need to be in a win-win situation but need to be in a mutually advantageous arrangement, the Indian minister asserted. 

He was all praises for the commitment of the leaders of both the nations in making a knowledge society and said that the level of commitment has not been seen before. 

Mr. Chavan also talked about various challenges being faced by developing nations including food, water, global warming, food security and heightened need for increased national security. 

He said that all such challenges can only be met with improved cooperation between partners in science and technology. 

Dr. Holdren while welcoming the past accomplishments due to cooperation between two nations also agreed that the role of science and technology is of vital importance in meeting the challenges of both US and India. 

The issue of problems in the US visa procedures was acknowledged by Dr. Holdren just a day after Anand Sharma, Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, discussed the issue with Gary Locke, the US Secretary of Commerce during a meeting. 

US visas were proving to be a big hurdle for several skilled workers and professionals hailing from India.