Consulate General of the United States, Hyderabad

2021-06-28T15:54:10Z

112.196.133.247: /* See also */

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox Political post
|post = Consulate General
|body = the United States of America Hyderabad
|native_name = <small>యునైటెడ్ స్టేట్స్ ఆఫ్ అమెరికా కాన్సులేట్ జనరల్, హైదరాబాద్</small>
|insignia = Seal of the United States Department of State.svg
|insigniasize = 120px
|insigniacaption = Seal of the United States Department of State
|department = [[United States Department of State]]
|image =
|alt =
|incumbent = [[Joel Reifman]]
|incumbentsince = 20 August 2019
|style = Consul General
|residence =
|nominator = [[Donald Trump]]
|nominatorpost = [[President of the United States]]
|appointer =
|appointerpost =
|termlength =
|inaugural =
|formation = 24 October 2008<ref name=inauguration>{{cite news|title=David Mulford opens US Consulate in Hyderabad|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/25/stories/2008102550420100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026033649/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/25/stories/2008102550420100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2008|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=25 October 2008}}</ref>
|last =
|abolished =
|succession =
|deputy =
|salary =
|website = https://in.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/hyderabad/
}}

The '''Consulate General of the United States of America, Hyderabad''' is a [[United States government|United States]] diplomatic mission located in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]. The consulate provides visa and consular services to the [[India]]n citizens in [[Telangana]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Odisha]]. It is housed in the historic [[Paigah Palace]].<ref name=details>{{cite news|title=US consulate by 2008-end|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/04/stories/2007070458590400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708032305/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/04/stories/2007070458590400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 July 2007|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 July 2007}}</ref> It was the United States government's first new consulate general anywhere in the world since 1985, and also the first new United States consulate general in India since its independence in 1947.<ref name=interesting>{{cite news|title=Consulate interviews one lakh visa applicants in 1 yr.|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/19/stories/2010041958380200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424090412/http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/19/stories/2010041958380200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 April 2010|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=19 April 2010}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Paigah Palace.jpg|thumb|left|150px|U.S. Ambassador to India [[David C. Mulford]] during the inauguration of the consulate]]
Until the consulate opened in Hyderabad, the [[Consulate General of the United States, Chennai]] received about 40% of its visa applications from [[Andhra Pradesh]]. In early 2006, the then Chief Minister of the State [[Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy]] announced that the [[United States government]] has agreed to open a consulate in the capital city of Hyderabad. He also announced steps to provide temporary and permanent accommodation to the consular staff. This announcement came soon after the visit of [[President of the United States]] [[George W. Bush]] to the state capital.<ref name=announcement>{{cite news|title=US to set up consulate in Hyderabad|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-03/india/27804650_1_consulate-hyderabad-official|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131204134728/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-03/india/27804650_1_consulate-hyderabad-official|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 December 2013|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=3 March 2006}}</ref> Hyderabad was chosen because of "its strategic location in terms of a large visa demand, a broad-based economy spanning information technology, bio-technology and other life sciences besides a diverse population, including Muslims."<ref name=details/> Soon after this, the then [[United States Ambassador to India]] [[David Campbell Mulford]] announced that the consulate will begin its operations in 2007 and inauguration planned for 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=India will be a world power|url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/jun/19spec.htm|work=[[Rediff.com]]|accessdate=18 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=US Consulate in Hyderabad by 2008|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092205850500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027054032/http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092205850500.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 October 2007|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=22 September 2006}}</ref> The purpose of opening the consulate in Hyderabad was to reduce the burden of the [[Consulate General of the United States, Chennai|consulate in Chennai]] that issues the highest number of visas in India.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. consulate will open office in Hyderabad soon|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/30/stories/2007033002661500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070920224050/http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/30/stories/2007033002661500.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 September 2007|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=30 March 2007}}</ref>

In 2007, United States signed an agreement with the local government to lease the [[Paigah Palace]] for five years. Mulford announced that the palace will be renovated to serve as a temporary accommodation for the consulate. The state government designated {{convert|12|acre|sqkm}} in the city where a permanent consulate would be built, and was expected to be ready for use in 2011.<ref name=details/>

In 2008, the facility opened with the capacity to process 100 visa applications in a day.<ref name=inauguration/> The consulate first started interviewing visa applicants from 10 March 2009 and in a year's time it interviewed 100,000 applicants.<ref name=interesting/> In the years following its opening, the number of students traveling to the United States from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh increased significantly.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sheer number reason for more Andhra victims|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-22/india/31381910_1_mba-student-shot-higher-studies-telugu-student|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425105309/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-22/india/31381910_1_mba-student-shot-higher-studies-telugu-student|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 April 2012|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=22 April 2012}}</ref>

== Activities ==
The consulate has conducted activities that foster and promote [[education in the United States]], [[Indo-US_Relations#Trade_relations|Indo-US business ties]] and social causes such as renovation of a two-centuries-old tomb of [[Mah Laqa Bai]], a [[Nizam of Hyderabad|Nizam-era]] [[Urdu]] [[poet]] and [[courtesan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=US education info centre opened at OUCIP|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/24/stories/2010032462610200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328181016/http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/24/stories/2010032462610200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 March 2010|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=24 March 2010}}</ref><ref name="PTI">{{cite news|title=US Consulate funds renovation of Mah Laqa Bai's tomb|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_us-consulate-funds-renovation-of-mah-laqa-bai-s-tomb_1425862|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=19 August 2010|accessdate=19 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Seek business partners in US|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3335143.ece|accessdate=18 September 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 April 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Embassy of the United States, New Delhi]]
* [[Consulate General of the United States, Hyderabad|Consulate general in Hyderabad]]
* [[Consulate General of the United States, Kolkata]]
* [[Consulate General of the United States, Chennai]]
* [[Consulate General of the United States, Mumbai]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110215001346/http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov/ Official US CG Hyderabad webpage]

{{US diplomatic missions}}
{{Diplomatic missions in India}}
{{coord missing|Telangana}}

[[Category:Diplomatic missions of the United States|Hyderabad]]
[[Category:Diplomatic missions in Hyderabad, India|United States]]
[[Category:India–United States relations]]

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Consulate General of the United States, Hyderabad