Visa schedules unaffected by shutdown

To assuage fears among the applicants, the US Consulate here said that despite the shutdown, visa schedules will not be affected.

“US Consulate services will continue to function during the lapse in Congressional appropriations. If you have a scheduled visa interview or American Citizen Services appointment, please arrive at the Consulate at your designated time. However, the American Center will remain closed until further notice. American Library functions inside the American Centre,” stated an official release.

According to US Consul General in Chennai Robert G. Burgess, the Consulate in Chennai is the largest for the issuance of H1B visa. At a recent meet, the Consul General highlighted that south Indians make up a sizable portion of the 4 million Indians living in the US, which is catered to by the Consulate here.

After the Senate rejected a short-term spending bill to keep the federal government running, the US government officially shutdown, sending shockwaves across the world.