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NT Bureau
Chennai, May 15:

        US Charge d' Affaires Geoff Pyatt has expressed concern over the increasing incidents of fraudulent documents being presented by visa applicants.

        'We are concerned over the activity of brokers and agents who are misleading the applicants on short-cuts to go to America,' Pyatt told reporters inaugurating six new pre-screening windows for visa applicants at US Consulate General here today.

        Stating that there were no shortcuts to get US visa, Pyatt cautioned the applicant not to fall prey to brokers and agents. The visa processing included strict verification of documents.

        'Applicants presenting false documents would be permanently disqualified from getting visa to US,' he warned. 'We are working closely with appropriate Indian officials on the issue,' he added.

        US Consul- General in Chennai David T Hopper said applicants need not pay for information on visa to any agent. As it was available free of cost at the Consulate and on its website.

        The issuing of visa applications at the Consulate in Chennai had also gone up by 83 per cent for the six-month period ended 31 March, 2007, Hopper said and added that the processing of applications had gone up to 1,200 a day from 700-800 applications.

        On the status of US Consulate in Hyderabad as was announced by President George W Bush during his visit of Andhra Pradesh in 2006, Hopper said the process of setting up a Consulate in Hyderabad is on. US officials are working along with the State officials and the External Affairs Ministry to set up the Consulate by 2008.

        To a question of the long queue of applicants waiting outside the Consulate under the hot sun, he said that with the opening of six new pre-screening windows the visa processing would be speeded up.

        Moreover, there is no point in applicants coming as early as 6.30 or seven in the morning and waiting outside the gate. He asked the applicants to come just before the appointment time.

        Earlier, Pyatt said the number of applications for US visa had increased by 30 per cent during the last fiscal. This year, he said the Embassy was aiming to process six lakh applications in India.