Traveling to US: U.S Embassy in India to share updated information on consular services — Details

The US Embassy in India has announced that it will take up travel queries and Consular officers will provide information updates on current consular services. This is to facilitate legitimate travel to the U.S from India.

The US Embassy on its Twitter shared, “we are committed to facilitate legitimate travel to the U.S. and take your inquiries and concerns seriously. Here are some of our Consular officers providing updates and information on current consular services. Have a safe 2022!”

However, according to reports, an international coalition of travel-related organizations visited the US authorities Wednesday to urge them to stop asking vaccinated passengers to submit a negative Covid test before boarding US-bound flights.

“Travel and aviation’s recovery is dependent on the government taking steps to remove travel restrictions that are no longer justified by current circumstances,” the group argued in a letter addressed to White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeffrey Zients.

Among the 29 signatories were the main advocacy organizations representing Asian, European and US airlines, as well as the US Chamber of Commerce and the US Travel Association, the report said.

“Clearly Covid is widespread throughout the US and attempts to control its importation via air travel under today’s circumstances are unlikely to change that fact,” they argued in the letter.

The leader of the group, Airlines for America — which represents major US carriers including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines — posted the letter to its website. The three companies recently noted that the Omicron variant would delay their recovery by one to two months.

The coalition also pointed to the European Union, which recommended member countries lift restrictions for travel between European countries, as well as the United Kingdom, which has decided to lift pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated passengers.

“Surveys of air passengers indicate that pre-departure testing is a leading factor in the decision not to travel internationally,” they noted, adding that people do not want to risk getting stuck abroad if they test positive.

“As a result, international travel in 2021 was 75 percent below 2019 levels.” The group added that if a new threatening variant appeared, “pre-departure testing could be easily reinstituted.”