No of Indians visiting US dips for the first time in eight years
No of Indians visiting US dips for the first time in eight years The number of Indians travelling to the United States has declined for the first time in eight years, as per the latest figures released by the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). It said, about 11.14 lakh Indians went to the US in 2017, down 5 per cent from 11.72 lakh in the previous year. It is worth noting that 5.5 lakh Indian travellers visited America in 2009, a dip of 8 per cent over the previous year. However, since then Indian visitors were increasing every year till 2016. The NTTO has predicted a surge in the number of Indian visitors to the US every year from 2018 to 2022. “There has been a perception in recent times that travel to the US may have become more difficult, especially after some entry restrictions there for certain nationalities,” an unnamed Delhi-based travel agent told the ToI. He, however, clarified that this is a wrong perception and for the right travellers, the US is as open as it always was. Another travel agent emphasised that the US routinely issues 10-year validity, multiple entry visas to most Indian applicants under tourist (B1 and B2) category. European nations, on the other hand, mostly issue very limited period visas. With tightening H-1B rules, IT companies reduced their H-1B applications. Tightening of H-1B work visa norms has increased operating costs of Indian IT companies as onsite hiring has increased. -PTC News
