Bahrainis wishing to study in the US can now benefit from a quicker visa application process.

Following the introduction of new procedures, which took effect on March 1, applications can now be submitted online by visiting www.bahrain.usembassy.gov.

Applicants can fill out the questionnaire then print out the confirmation page when they are finished.

'Students can bring their confirmation page to the embassy on Wednesdays from 9am to 11am without prior appointments but they will need to bring an I20 form which is available from their university,' said US Consul Nausher Ali.

'As we are in the middle of peak season for visa applications, if you book an appointment now it will take around three weeks before you can be seen.'

More than 400 Bahraini students are presently studying in the US, with the number set to grow further in the summer.

Several thousand Bahrainis apply for US visas every year and around 98 per cent of them are granted.

In comparison to the rest of the world that is very high, said Ali.

'Worldwide only around 80 per cent of applications for US visas are successful. So Bahrain's statistics are very good.'

Meanwhile the visa application fee will increase from BD50 to BD53 from June 4.-TradeArabia News Service