Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma Draws US Attention to Spurt in Visa Rejection.

India has asked the US to sort out problems faced by its IT industry in obtaining professional visas following a sudden increase in visa rejection rates and complaints that visa interviews had become more like interrogation.

Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma also pushed for an early conclusion of the bilateral social security agreement and a renewal of the generalised system of preferences, or GSP, scheme for duty free import of specific goods from developing countries at an India-US CEO's forum in Washington.

The forum was chaired by US trade representative Ron Kirk. "The minister drew attention to the estimates by the Indian industry that the uptake of H1B visa this year has been less than half of annual prescribed limit, and the rejection rates have gone up," according to an official release.

IT body Nasscom has reported increased negativism in granting visas and harassment at the port of entry in the US, according to a government official.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com