Blanket L Category Visa Acceptance and Processing Centre at Chennai US Consulate

Chief of Consular Services, Nicholas Manring, said that the United States Consulate General in Chennai will be the only blanket L category visas acceptance and processing centre and it will begin from 1st December, 2011. From December onwards, companies across the country will have to send their ‘blanket L category' applicants to Chennai for visa interviews.

This type of visa is being issued to managers, professionals with specialized knowledge and executives who transfer within the company. However, this move would not affect spouses and children of L1 category applicants and papers of such applicants could still be processed at any US Consular section in India.

He said that centralization will only affect the location for processing L1 blanket visas and there will be no change in the law or policy for visa processing. As on 30th September, 2011, the student visa applications have increased by 18% and more than 1.03 lakh Indian students are studying in US universities.

Source: Richha Bhatnagar (Shiksha Team)