External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday said he raised concerns over difficulties faced by genuine Indian travellers in obtaining US visas during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi.
Addressing a joint press conference after delegation-level bilateral talks, Jaishankar said India expects legal travel to the United States not to be affected while both countries cooperate on tackling illegal immigration and irregular mobility.
“The ties are at the heart of our relationship. I apprised Secretary Rubio of challenges that legitimate travelers face in respect of visa issuance,” Jaishankar said.
Adding to it he mentioned that, “While we cooperate to deal with illegal and irregular mobility, our expectation is that legal mobility would not be adversely impacted as a consequence. After all, this is very relevant to our business, technology and research cooperation.”
Rubio says visa changes not targeted at India
Responding to questions on recent changes in US visa categories such as J1, F1 and H-1B visas, Rubio clarified that the new immigration measures are not specifically aimed at India.
“It is not a system that is targeted at India; it is one that’s being applied globally. But we’re in a period of transition, and like any period of transition, there’s going to be some bumps on that road,” Rubio said.
US reviewing immigration system after migration crisis
The US Secretary of State added that Washington is currently modernising its immigration system following a migration crisis in the country.
“We’ve had a migratory crisis in the United States. This is not because of India, but broadly, we have had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we’ve had to address that challenge,” Rubio said.
The US government has been carrying out a broad review of both legal and illegal immigration systems. While Washington’s main domestic priority has remained strengthening southern border security and curbing illegal migration, these policy changes have also affected legal immigration channels, leading to bureaucratic delays, longer processing timelines, and greater uncertainty for applicants worldwide.