CHENNAI: Reflecting the growing ties between the two countries, US hopes to increase issue of visas to people from India this year, a senior diplomat said today."We want more Indian citizens visiting United States and vice-versa. In 2010, we adjudicated about 600,000 applications in India, which is an incredible statistic..," newly appointed US Consul General Jennifer H McIntyre told reporters here.This included business visas, tourist visas. "..We do have issued tremendous amount of technical H1B business visas."Replying to a question, she said there was a 22 per cent increase in visa applications last year and over one lakh Indian students were studying in US. "We want to see more."She said it was a priority for her to increase the number of Indian citizens visiting United States' and vice-versa.McIntyre said 10 per cent of all US non-immigrant visa applications come from India. In 2010, the Consulate here issued 1,42,565 non-immigrant visas, the most among the five consular sections in the country.Asked whether there would be a dip in the number of H1B visas issued by United States, she replied in the negative saying India accounts for 65 per cent of H1B visas issued worldwide."It is increasing," she said without elaborating.On her agenda for the next three years, she said her focus would be on strengthening the Indo-US relations besides on education and increasing business opportunities.She said the Foreign Commercial Services would host an educational mission in October here in which a lot of American universities and colleges would participate.
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