Vis-a-Vis...Embassy

Having spent the last two days navigating the Indian Visa system and getting myself formally registered as a resident of India (required for anyone staying here more than 6 months), I've seen the dispassionate face of Indian bureaucracy.

However, contrary to many warnings I received, I wasn't asked to participate in (and didn't witness) any sort of corrupt or bribe-related activities. Other than the desperately overcrowded government buildings where people waited or more accurately, wedged themselves, in line, and the endless streams of paperwork - the system wasn't all that painful (i.e. it only took two days).

The Indian Visa officials were reasonable, even if their gruff exteriors showed that they were clearly over-worked and understaffed. My biggest frustration was not in the experience itself, though the interview wing at the Ministry of Home Affairs was so packed that I couldn't physically reach the interviewer's desk when my name was called, but rather the fact that the government only gave me a three month extension instead of the year-long one that my company had asked for. Why? I'm sure it was so I can come back in three months and pay another $75 for the pleasure of "wedging" in line.

But lest I heap more criticism on the country which has been my gracious host for the past 5 months, the relative ease of my Visa process (which most foreigners here view as insufferable) opened my eyes a bit to the struggle faced by foreign workers who want to come to the U.S.

My French flatmate, an intern at the French Economic Mission in Delhi, described for me last night the scene he sees each morning across the street, at the American Embassy, where hundreds of people line up at dawn (with street vendors catering to the queues and taxis waiting in-tow), all hoping for the chance to land one of a handful of American Visas that are disbursed each day. "No one comes over to our side of the street," he laughed, "They don't want to come to France."

A run through the newspapers back home also brought this issue to my attention. Here's an excerpt from yesterday's Washington Post editorial, on America's "Self-Inflicted Wound:

"One of the more self-defeating aspects of this nation's immigration policy is its insistence on denying work visas to thousands of the world's most sought-after doctors, scientists, engineers and technical specialists, including those finishing their degrees at American universities. Understandably, U.S. technological corporations, which, unlike Congress, live in the real world of innovation and cutthroat competition for skilled workers, are furious that their own government's visa policies give foreign firms a leg up. As Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., told a Senate committee last week, "America will find it infinitely more difficult to maintain its technological leadership if it shuts out the very people who are most able to help us compete."

Apparently the number of visas reserved for skilled workers has been capped at 65,000 for the last three years even though prior to 2003 it had been set at 195,000. Why the reduction in spaces? "Sunset" laws on Visa numbers that expired with Congressional inaction. Even though the Senate approved an increase back up to 115,000 in its immigration bill last fall, that measure died in the House. So this year there will be 50,000 skilled workers doing their Ph.D's, getting their first jobs, or starting their first companies in countries other than the U.S. than there otherwise would have been. So much for encouraging the spread of American ideals and democracy.

And lest anyone start to think that Americans have a monopoly on technological talent due our broad freedoms and the tremendous strength of our economy, its good to keep in mind, as the Washington Post writes, that "foreign-born entrepreneurs were among the founders of Sun Microsystems Inc., Intel Corp., [and] Google Inc." 

I was fortunate enough to meet Vinod Khosla (co-founder of Sun) at a microfinance event earlier this year. While most Americans have never used Sun's workstations or run programs on its UNIX operating system, they benefit from the technological revolution that companies like Sun helped lead. The U.S. technology sector and by extension, its economy, is a little bit more dynamic today because that foreign-born mind made its way to the Stanford campus from Pune, India some three and a half decades ago.

Comments

[Arundathi]

Hi - I've spent the last 2 hours reading your blog, and its absolutely fascinating! I enjoy the way you write and every time I have a thought to add to what you have to say, you have covered that aspect too in your post!

The visa process was especially close to my heart. Having lived in India and then the Bay Area, I know how difficult it is to get a US work visa, and the amount of time you need to spend standing in endless lines waiting for your name to be called, and the extensive number of rules imposed by the US Consulate on Indians.

After moving back to India, having lived away for 10 years, its unfortunate to see that things have not changed at all for Indians wanting to go to the US. As you say, the Indians want to go and help the US economy succeed by establishing new corporations and businesses that will not only enhance revenue generation but provide vast employment as well. What I want to say to these people is, "if they don't want you to come there, stay here and help your country. India needs you".

But that is like talking to a stone wall, since most people find the hardships of getting a visa insignificant to the lure of the US. I was one of them.

I wish it wasn't so, but sometimes I'm glad that US citizens need to get a visa to come to India (since they don't need visas to most other countries). I'm glad because its quid pro quo. But I do wish they made it easier to get visas!

I'm glad I chanced on your blog. Its a pleasure to read and very thought-provoking.

[Arundathi]

I hope you don't mind that I've added you to my blog roll. Thanks!

[Mark Straub]

Arundathi - thanks so much for reading! Hope you get some traffic from my link. I promise to add a blogroll soon.
-M

[ishani]

Now many European countries and USA too are outsourcing a lot of their visa related work to VFS in India. The company has in fact been roped in by UK to tackle the front office of visa operations globally. Embassies and high commissions globally have a tough time tackling the 1000s of visa applications and are usually terribly understaffed to deal with such large numbers!! WTO negotiations should facilitate a global movement of people pact and bring in universal visa rules!!

[Monish]

Wow...so I've never seen an Indian visa before, thanks for putting that up!