By Reuters| March 27, 2019 05:58:52A new visa is being sought for Indian technology workers in the US, a sign that the country’s immigration policy is tightening.
The move by the US State Department to ask the government of India for the visa has sparked anger in India, with officials calling it a clear violation of the terms of a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in 2015.
A visa is granted to foreign workers under the visa waiver programme to encourage investment and job creation.
The US, which has been a US ally in the Indo-Pacific region, has said that it is also considering issuing visa for skilled workers from the country.
The State Department, in a statement, said that Indian citizens working in the United States should submit documentation that their status in the country would not be affected by the visa.
The visa would be issued by the State Department and the employer would have to agree.
“If an Indian citizen, or a spouse, parent or child, resides in the USA and is working in a non-U.S. position, the visa will not apply,” the statement said.
“A visa will be issued for the worker based on the applicant’s status in their home country, including a request for a waiver of visa requirements if an employer is unable to provide sufficient documentation for an employment permit,” the State department said.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the visa would only be available to foreign nationals who were currently employed in the U.
S and not in the current or former employment of an employer.
The visa could be extended for a maximum of two years and could be renewed for another two years, the official said.
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment.
