The new US Consulate General in Hyderabad has emrged as South Asia’s biggest Consulate…reports Asian Lite News
The US Consulate has newly opened a new campus in Nanakaramguda, which is spread over 12 acres of land. Earlier, the US consulate was housed in Paigah Palace.
The new US Consulate General in Hyderabad has emrged as South Asia’s biggest Consulate, with 54 windows as against 16 in Paigah Palace earlier. It will process up to 3,500 visa applications. About 1,100 visa applications were processed in a day when the consulate operated from Paigah Palace.
Jennifer Larson, US Consul General Hyderabad, addressed her first press conference after moving into the new facility at Financial District, Nanakramguda, on April 19, 2023. Along with Consul General Rebekah Drame and Chief Consular Officer Audrey Moyer were also present.
Addressing her first press conference as the US Consulate General Jennifer Larson said, “The United States maintains embassies in the capital cities of most countries around the world, we recognize that critical developments and significant events are taking place outside of capital cities. So we open consulates in major non-capital cities around the world to provide services to US citizens, process visas, represent the US government, and build relationships with local officials, business leaders, civic leaders, journalists, and other members of the public.”
She said that this consulate represents the US government in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
“There is so much happening in Hyderabad which is exciting, positive, and dynamic. And that’s why we’re here because we see the importance this region plays in the US-India relationship,” she added.
“We provide consular services to the tens of thousands of US citizens in the region from passport services to help citizens who need emergency support. We adjudicate visas,” she informed in the press conference.
“The US Mission to India is on track to process more than a million visas this year,” she added.
“Since a large demand for visas comes from students, who wish to study in the United States, in order to help them and their parents make informed decisions, we support education advising through the US-India Educational Foundation and the Education USA Center at the Y-Axis Foundation in Jubilee Hills,” the US Consulate added.
While noting that commercial ties between the United States and India have grown by leaps and bounds in this region, she said that they believe that more can be done.
“We have a dedicated officer from the US Foreign Commercial Service who coordinates trade shows, connects US and Indian firms, and works to promote Indian investment in the United States,” she informed further.
She also mentioned how from ship visits to joint training exercises, Indo-US militaries regularly work together based out of India’s Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
She further mentioned India and US are working together on the development front to promote sustainable economic growth, combat climate change, and expand health services.
USAID — the development arm of the US government — works with the Union government, the private sector, and civil society to identify, pilot, and scale up cost-effective innovations and best practices to further boost India’s development and global leadership.
Speaking on USAID, she informed about her visit to Odisha next week for a USAID event.
The Consulate will also work with civil society, NGOs, academic institutions, activists, artists, religious leaders, students, and educators through exchange programs that send students and young professionals to the United States and American Corners in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
She said that relationships with the people of both countries would be strengthened through the prestigious Fulbright program, which allows Indian students and scholars to go to the United States and American students and scholars to come to India and through cultural programs such as the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, through which we’ve contributed to the conservation of historical monuments in Hyderabad at the Qutb Shahi Tombs and the Paigah Tombs.
“As President Biden has said, the relationship between the United State and India is one of most consequential in the world, vital to addressing virtually every global challenge that our people face. And the best way to address those challenges is to know each other, understand each other, and invest in our relationship. That’s why we’re here at the US Consulate General in Hyderabad and that’s what we endeavour to do every day,” she added. (ANI)
