India has been continuously taking up the visa fee matter of the US with the authorities in the US and the nation has also increased the issue in the body of WTO that settles disputes.
According to the Industry and Commerce Minister, the H-1B and L-1 visa fee matter has been increased with the US at many levels that includes dialogue between Indian Prime Minister and US President and presently between the Indian Finance Minister and US Trade Representative.
She also informed that the ministry has lifted the matter on many occasions focusing the negative affect of the increase in visa fee mainly on IT firms of India.
A letter has been sent to US Commerce Secretary and Deputy National Security Advisor and it has been urged not to incorporate certain biased and disciplinary steps in law without due process of comment and notice as it would seriously obstruct the ongoing efforts of taking Indo-US mutual business and investment ties forward.
The Minister in a written response to the Lok Sabha told that India has raised the issue of visa fee in the body of dispute settlement of the WTO. US have replied that the visa fee increase has been made through a legal action and its administration role is quite restricted.
As per the data from the USCIS, it has got 1,24,000 applications for H-1B visa for the year 2013-14, 1,75,000 visa applications for the year 2014-15 and 2,33,000 visa applications for last year and 2,36,000 visa applications for this year.
