Individuals in the United States applying for visas to India should expect processing delays in the coming weeks and months as India transitions to a new visa services vendor.

As of July 1, India will transfer responsibility for the processing of Indian visa applications submitted in the United States from its current third-party vendor to a new third-party vendor. The transition is expected to cause significant delays in visa processing times.

The transfer to the new Indian-owned vendor, BLS International, is a result of a mandate by the Indian government that such outsourcing contracts be made exclusively with Indian-owned companies. Currently, Travisa Outsourcing processes Indian visa applications submitted in the United States. Under Travisa, these applications are generally processed within 3 to 10 business days.

As a result of this transition, substantial delays are expected in visa processing times over the coming weeks and months. Individuals requiring a visa for travel to India on or before July 9 are advised to submit their applications in person as soon as possible. For more information about applying for a visa through Travisa, visit this link.