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The United States Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad will open consular operations on Saturday, December 7, to accommodate applicants requiring in-person visa interviews, officials said on Friday.
The US Mission in India launched a series of special Saturday interview days in January earlier this year as part of a larger effort to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants.
According to an official statement this fourth 'Super Saturday' is an innovative way to keep pace with the growing demand for travel between the United States and India. The participating posts will employ the maximum resources to conduct the most visa interviews on the Super Saturday. These additional interview days are just one component of a multi-pronged initiative to address the burgeoning demand in India for travel to the United States, the statement said. The Department of State has implemented remote processing of interview waiver cases for applicants with previous US visas and is also increasing the number of consular officers permanently assigned to the Embassy and Consulates. Mark McGovern, Consul General at the US Embassy New Delhi said, "This year, we have already processed more than one million visas across India, and we are so excited to be here for the fourth 'Super Saturday'."
"But our work isn't just about the numbers; each visa means a family reunified, a business deal made, a new educational experience, or a tourist visiting America for the first time," McGovern said.
"The people-to-people ties between the United States and we certainly understand that so is the demand for visas," he added.
"That's why we're working overtime to keep the momentum going, even if it means coming in on a Saturday. Knowing that we can have that kind of impact makes this job so rewarding," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News Agency staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)