Planning a trip to the US from India? The US Embassy has streamlined its visa application process, especially for B-1/B-2 visitor visa interview waivers. Now, appointments are centralized in New Delhi.
In a bid to tackle long visa interview wait times in India, the US Consulate in Frankfurt has introduced dedicated appointment slots for Indian applicants. With waiting periods exceeding 500 days in major Indian cities, the consulate's initiative offers hope to travelers.
The US consulates in Bangkok and Frankfurt have reserved appointments for Indian B1/B2 visa applicants to process more visa applications. With over 150,000 student and exchange-visitor visas issued by the US embassy and consulates in India in the past year, Indian students and exchange visitors are the second-largest cohort of international students in the US.
The United States Department of State has published a Final Rule regarding an increase in certain non-immigrant visa application processing fees and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) fees. The fee increases will be effective from May 30, 2023, and are aimed at facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and nonimmigrant travellers.
The Biden administration is prioritizing visas for Indian students and IT professionals, according to US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu.
US visa applicants from India have had some relief as wait times have recently been reduced by around 50%. However, the wait time for visa appointments for B1 and B2 visas, which are for temporary business and tourism purposes in the US respectively, still remains long.
The US is seeing a significant decline in the wait time for visitor visa interviews in India, thanks to increased officials and new diplomatic missions. More than 100 US diplomatic missions are issuing visas to Indians, and Frankfurt, London, and Abu Dhabi are taking many Indian citizens seeking visas.
The long wait time for US visas has been a major concern for Indians, but recent initiatives by the United States are set to reduce visa delays. This includes the deployment of temporary officers from consulates worldwide to help with visa operations in Mumbai. Learn more about these efforts and their potential benefits for Indian travellers.
The US Embassy in India has introduced new rules to reduce the long visa waiting period for Indian citizens. The US has arranged special interviews for first-time applicants and expanded the strength of consular workers to reduce delays in the visa process.
The wait for a US visa for Indians may soon be over, as people can now apply at select American embassies abroad to reduce the long wait period in India.
