Indian embassy outsourcing visa processing

WASHINGTON, March 3 (UPI) -- India has so many visa applications from U.S. business executives that its Washington embassy plans to outsource some of the processing.

The embassy placed a classified ad in the Wall Street Journal this week soliciting companies "for outsourcing visa collection and delivery." One reason for the heavy work load is that India is a magnet for U.S. companies that want to outsource back-office functions like telephone call centers, help desks and software design.

Harley Shaiken, a specialist in labor studies at the University of California at Berkeley, told the Los Angeles Times that it's "a man bites dog story."

"It's a small irony in an otherwise serious situation," he said.

The number of U.S. residents applying for visas to India tripled between 2000 and 2006 to about 150,000.