Here is the details.
20 july 2001, Times of India
Easier procedure for non-immigrant U.S. visas
A STAFF REPORTER
THE TIMES OF INDIA NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI: The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai has announced a series of new visa processing procedures for facilitating those seeking non-immigrant or temporary visas to the U.S.
Under the new procedures, U.S. visa facilitation services (VFS) application centres would be opened in key business centres in western India. The first such centre will be inaugurated on July 24 at Tirupati Apartments, Bhulabhai Desai Road (opposite Crossroads). Initially, the centre will only accept `drop-box applications\' and fees. Over the next six months, however, the centre will start collecting application fee from all non-immigrant visa applicants, courier pass back in association with Blue Dart Courier Services Limited.
It will also schedule appointments for visa interviews, a press release said. "With appointment scheduling, applicants will no longer have to wait in long queues outside the consulate and will be guaranteed admission on the date indicated,\'\' said the release.
The consulate has announced that from July 24, all drop box applicants will have to submit their passports and applications through the VFS centre only and not at the consulate. Also, under the new rules, all visa applications will require two or three days of processing time and will not be ready on the same day. Moreover, passports will be returned only by courier and will not be available at the consulate to be personally picked up.
The consulate has plans of starting a second VFS centre at Andheri (E) by September end. By October, it will also set up VFS centres at Pune, Ahmedabad and Surat for the convenience of visa seekers from outside Mumbai.