United States streamlines visa process amid surge in applications from Hong Kong

A surge in the number of ­Hongkongers applying for visas to the United States over the past three years has prompted the consulate to make the process more hassle-free.

With applications expected to increase 15-20 per cent on last year to a projected 100,000 this year, the consulate announced on Wednesday that local residents would be ­allowed to skip the mandatory interview stage when ­renewing their tourist, business or student visas.

“There’s an increasing ­demand in going to the US ... from Hong Kong,” the consulate’s non-immigrant visas chief, Alex Ave-Lallemant, said.

“We anticipate a further increase in demand and are trying to be as proactive as possible.”

There were 80,000-90,000 ­applicants last year, 10 per cent up from 2014.

Consulate officials would not explain the higher demand, but noted the US was a popular destination for students from Hong Kong, with 8,000 of them applying for visas in 2014.

Hongkongers with ties to the US and Canada were also applying for visas to visit family, they added.