Modi-Trump unlikely to discuss H1B visa

There have been no immediate changes to visa application or issuance procedures.

Washington, Jun 24: The contentious H1B visa is unlikely to be raised during US President Donald Trump's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said White House as the issue was under review and there have been no changes in the existing policy.

"On the (H-1B) visas issue, there's no plans for that to come up specifically," a senior administration official told reporters ahead of Modi-Trump meeting at the White House on Monday. But if raised by the Indian side, the Americans are ready for it, the official said.

"But if it's raised, I would just note that the administration has signed some executive orders related to work and immigration, and President Trump's executive order on H1-B visas of course directs the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security to propose potential reforms to the H1B visa program," the official said.

"However there have been no immediate changes to visa application or issuance procedures, so we're not in a position to kind of prejudge what the outcome of the review might be.

The senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that there's really been no changes as such at this point, and no specific changes that target any specific country or sector as of yet.

PTI