US-India to discuss US visa fee issue
by Mary Jones - August 27, 2010
India, 27th August: Both India and the US seem to be eager to sort out the issue of recent US visa hike which is likely to affect the bilateral relationships between the two nations.
The increase in the US visa fee is likely to prove as an economic hurdle in the way of foreign skilled workers seeking US visas.
Speaking about the issue, Anand Sharma, Indian Commerce Minister said that the recent US visa restrictions and increases in visa fees, the two big economic barriers, will affect the global recovery in a big way.
The hike in US visa fees introduced through a legislation signed by US President Baracak Obama on 13th August 2010 had sent shock and surprise through the IT companies having 50 percent of their workforce in the US on US H-1B visas or L-1 visas.
As a result of this recent US legislation, Indian IT companies including TCS(Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.), Infosys and Wipro Ltd. will have to shell out the new US visa fee of $2000 for each US visa fee application.
There has been a strong reaction to the remark by US Senator Charles Schumer who had called Infosys Technologies a ‘chop shop’.
Mr. Sharma is hopeful that the issue of US visa fee hike will get solved bilaterally when he discusses the issue with the US during his visit to the United States the coming month.
Rahul Khullar, the Commerce Secretary, said the US visa fee increase is not compatible with the WTO (World Trade Organisation) and hence, India is not going to sit and watch. The whole issue is being taken to be sorted out through various diplomatic sources, Khullar clarified.
Mr. Sharma had stated to Ron Kirk, the US Trade Representative in writing earlier this month that the additional visa fee meant for US H-1B visas and L1 visas will cost an additional $200 mn each year to Indian firms. And this is likely to make them less competitive, Sharma maintained. It may be clarified that out of the total takers of US visas issued each year, Indian IT companies account for about 12 percent of such visas.
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