Consul General Peter Haas presides over the ceremonial raising of the U.S. flag on the first day of business for the new U.S. Consulate in Bandra-Kurla. The new facility of the U.S. Consulate Mumbai opened on November 21, 2011 at the Bandra Kurla Complex.

By our NRI desk, Mumbai, 21 November, 2011

The United States Consulate General Mumbai officially opened on November 21 at its new Bandra Kurla location. The day began with a formal ceremony to raise the U.S. flag, conducted by the Consulate’s Marine Security Guard Detachment. Consulate. They remarked on the new Consulate: “It is a nice atmosphere, a good campus, and the staff is really cooperative.”

Consular Chief David Tyler points out that the new Consulate has over 40 interview windows and employs the latest technology to ensure that visa applicants have a short wait time and a positive interview experience. “Visa applicants are going to be really pleased with our new location. We now have a bigger and more pleasant space, and the capacity to serve more visa applicants at the same time. We are delighted to be able to serve our clientele in our new facility beginning today.” The Consulate also has expanded facilities to assist American citizens in India.

The new Consulate consolidates all U.S. Government offices in Mumbai in one location. Previously the Consulate was in Breach Candy. The American Center was located in Churchgate, housing the American Library and the offices of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and the Foreign Agricultural Service. The American Library will reopen to existing members on December 5th, and American Center programming will resume in January at the new location and with partners located throughout Mumbai. Anne Grimes, Public Affairs Officer for the Consulate looks on the move as an opportunity: “We welcome back our long-time friends and members, and we also look forward to reaching new audiences in Mumbai’s suburbs, and especially invite young professionals and students here in the north to join the American Library now located in BKC.”

The new Consulate reflects the growing partnership between the United States and India. Consul General Peter Haas: “As our partnership expands and modernizes, so must our Consulate. This new, state-of-the –art facility will allow us to reach out to new people, both in person and using new digital technologies.”

The U. S. Consulate General is located at C-49, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, and can be reached by telephone at 91-22-26724000 between the hours of 08:00 and 16:30, and Consulate information is available online at http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/.