In a bid to protect jobs for American nationals, the United States government will tighten norms for issuing H1-B visas meant for professionals traveling to the country from India next year, said the chief of visa section of US Consulate, Sarah Nelson at a workshop on 'US visa formalities' organised by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Indian Exports Organisations.

The American government was also considering a reduction in the number of L1 visa to be issued to Indians next year, she added in the presence of IACC president M J Z Mowlah. When asked about the number of H1-B and L1 visas that the US government was planning to issue next year, Nelson said, "That is for the (US) Congress to decide but we have to protect US jobs."

It had been decided that the number of H1-B visas being issued would be reduced in 2004 to protect American jobs. The decision on L1 visas was under study, Sarah clarified.

Sarah however said that there existed misconceptions on USA's change in policy with regards to issue visas in the wake to September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre twin towers. "We have not made our criteria for providing visas any stricter till now but we have made it mandatory to meet every applicant in person, after the attack," she added.

She said the total number of H1 visas issued to Indians were 50 per cent of the total visas issued globally by US in a specific time period. She also said that student visas issue to Indian students were among the highest. India had recently overtaken China to which historically America had been issuing the largest number of student visas.

Nelson said illegal immigration to the US was also high but refused to provide any figures on this traffic.

In a parallel development, the Kolkata US Consul office has lately started processing visa applications received from its Chennai office to clear the backlog which was around 7 days at present. The mandatory requirement of meeting every person in person has created the backlog.