US Visa Wait Time Continues to Rise, No Appointments Available for Next 2 Years

You may be aware of the delays in US visas and the long wait times for visitor and student visas, but you will be surprised to learn that the average wait time for a visitor visa to the United States, which was over 500 days a month ago, has now increased to over 700 days, with no visa appointment available for the next two years.

This means that any Indian citizen applying for a US visa will have to wait until September 2024 to schedule a visitor visa appointment.

US Visa Wait Time in India

Our team reviewed the waiting times at the US Embassy and various Consulates in India and discovered that the appointment for a visitor visa at the US Embassy in New Delhi is 730 calendar days, and the appointment for a student visa is 450 days.

While the wait time in Mumbai for a US visa appointment for a visitor visa is 720 days, the wait time for student visa appointments has increased from 12 days to 450 days.

Similarly, the average wait time for a US visitor visa appointment at the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata is 623, 602, and 592 calendar days, respectively, while the wait time for a student visa is 36, 450, and 465 calendar days.

Calendar days refer to every day of the week, including days when embassies are closed (such as weekends and holidays).

Previously, the high waiting time was only for visitor visas, and student visa appointments were available in as little as two days, but now the average waiting time for student visas has also increased to over 400 days.

Statement from the US Embassy on Visa Waiting Times

As per the US Embassy’s official website, the appointment demand is high across all visa categories, and wait times for most routine nonimmigrant visa appointments at the US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai may be lengthy due to reduced staffing and numerous pandemic-related disruptions to our operations since March 2020.

US Embassy in India Issued Record Student Visas In 2022

Despite long wait times and delays in issuing visas from India, the US Embassy in India said it had given a record number of 82,000 Student Visas for 2022. Not just that according to the Embassy, students from India received the most significant number of visas issued by the US this fall globally.

Patricia Lacina, Charge d’Affaires at US Embassy India said;

“The U.S. Mission in India has issued a record-breaking 82,000 Student Visas in 2022 to date, higher than any other country. This shows that the U.S. remains the most sought-after country for higher education.”

Updates On US Visa

Recently, the US High Commission in India issued a series of updates for Unites States Visa applicants in India, stating…

• Beginning this month, the US Embassy in India has resumed routine in-person Business and Tourist Visa B1 and B2 appointments.
• In addition, through December 31, 2022, the Department of State has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain categories of visa applicants.
• Applicants can request an expedited appointment through the US online appointment system. However, to request an expedited appointment, applicants must already have a confirmed interview appointment date.
• Many visa applicants have paid the processing fee but have yet to schedule a visa appointment. As a result, the US Mission will extend the validity of your payment until September 30, 2023.