Blanket L visas for US to be issued only from Chennai

New Delhi: The US visa for intra-company transfers, known as ‘blanket’ L visa, will now be issued only from Chennai and not at four other places – New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

“Starting December 1, the US Consulate General in Chennai will be the US Mission to India s sole blanket L category visa acceptance and processing center (“blanket L visas are issued to managers, executives, or specialised knowledge professionals transferring within their company),” according to a release from the US embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday.

It said companies throughout India will be requested to send blanket L applicants exclusively to Chennai for visa interviews. The L1B and L1A categories include specialised knowledge professionals, executives and managers transferring to the United States.

This change is in order to streamline the Blanket L Visa Issuance process and is part of the US Government’s ongoing effort to provide efficient visa services throughout India. It does not affect the spouses and children of L1 visa holders they and individual L1B and L1A visa applicants may still be processed at any US Consular section in India,” it said.

This centralisation affects only the location for processing of L-1 blanket visas and does not change the law or policy for visa processing, the release added.

2 Nov 2011

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