Washington, DC – US is sending one of its top diplomats to India this week to overview consular operations and hold bilateral talks with Indian counterparts according to a statement from the State Department.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Michele Thoren Bond would be in India August 22-26, “to review consular operations at the US Embassy in New Delhi, as well as the US Consulates General in Chennai and Hyderabad. While in India, Assistant Secretary Bond will participate in a bilateral consular dialogue with Indian counterparts as well as meet with the private sector.”
“The United States is committed to long-term bilateral engagement with India on a variety of consular-related issues, including facilitating tourist and business travel through efficient visa adjudications, working together on international adoptions, preventing and resolving international parent child abduction cases, and protecting US citizens overseas,” the statement read.
Secretary Michele Thoren Bond was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs on August 10, 2015. As Assistant Secretary, Ambassador Bond leads a team of 13,000 consular professionals in almost 300 locations across the United States and around the world who protect the lives and interests of US citizens abroad, facilitate legitimate international travel, and help protect our nation’s borders.