Getting US visa becomes easier

Good news for those planning a trip to the US. On Wednesday, the US embassy announced a new visa processing system for simplifying visa fee payment and appointment schedules.

Good news for those planning a trip to the US. On Wednesday, the US embassy announced a new visa processing system for simplifying visa fee payment and appointment schedules.

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The new system, to come into effect from September 26, will allow applicants to pay visa fees through electronic fund transfer or mobile banking. They can collect documents from 33 pick-up locations across the country.

Appointments can be scheduled online or by contacting a call centre, which would answer queries in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu and Punjabi.

Unlike the current system, first-time applicants will need to schedule two appointments — one for fingerprint collection and another for consular interview.