Hyderabad: Indian techies on H1B visas in the US are worried about visiting their homes for fear they may not be allowed to return to their jobs. This has happened to software professionals from other countries working in the US.
Recently, 28-year-old Nigerian techie Celestin Omen was questioned for two hours at the port of entry in the US by immigration authorities. To make sure he was the software professional he claimed to be, he was made to sit a test. He was allowed in after passing the test and answering questions about his company and clients.
The wife of an Indian techie living in the US on a dependent visa recently returned to the US from a visit to Hyderabad. She had to wait for 12 days for her visa to be stamped, when earlier it took just two days, and was questioned for more than three hours at the port of entry.
S. Balakrishna, a Hyderabadi working in the US on an H1B visa cancelled his trip to attend his nephew's marriage in Hyderabad. He said his friend wanted to come down to India after his father met with an accident but could not do so because of the fear.
Four of his friends who visited India one-and-a-half months ago had to wait for 10 to 20 days before the US consulate stamped their visas.
For a fortnight now, the US Consulate has not replied to email queries from this newspaper on the number of visas stamped.
