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| Latest
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| 13th
January 2010 / Times of India / Bangalore Edition |
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 US simplifies visa application process
Mumbai: Are you thinking of studying at a US University? Or travelling to America for a holiday? If so, here’s some good news for you. The process of applying for a US visa just got a tad less cumbersome. The US is introducing a new, high-tech, completely online system for non-immigrant visas, which will be in place by February 1. While applicants could complete their visa application forms online earlier too, they will now be able to submit the application form online, too, thus eliminating the need for paper applications.
“The new ‘smart’ application forms will ask only those questions that are relevant to you as an applicant. So, for instance, if your response to a question on your marital status is ‘single’, you will not be asked a question on your spouse’s name,’’ said Jim Herman, the US Embassy’s minister counsellor for consular affairs at the US embassy.
While the old application form had the applicant’s signature on it, the new ones will require a digital signature, which involves typing in a unique code number. After the application is ready, there will be a conformation page with applicants need to have as a record. They can either print this out or email it to themselves. Each applicant will also be given a unique barcode. The form will even ask questions about whether the applicant had assistance filling in the form. So, for instance, if the application form is being filled out by a travel agent, the form will ask for his details.
Add to this the fact that you will not need to fill in the form in one sitting. You have the option of saving the new form on your computer.
For workers who need to regularly renew their visas, it will now be possible to pull out the old application forms and use the data, so that they will not need to rewrite the same form again and again.
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