US to Open In-Person Tourist Visa Appointments From September

In a significant relief for tourists, the US Embassy announced that in-person tourist visa (B1 and B2) appointments will resume in September 2022. Thousands of families who have been waiting impatiently to visit friends and family in the United States will be relieved by the news.

It is important to keep in mind that those applying for US visas must physically attend a visa interview at a US Embassy or Consulate.

The US Embassy added that any placeholder appointments that had been made in the past have been cancelled and that these applicants may now re-enter the scheduling system to make regular appointments that are still available through 2023.

The US Embassy in a statement said;

“We are resuming routine in-person tourist visa appointments in September 2022. Previously, scheduled placeholders have now been cancelled. Applicants whose placeholder appointments were cancelled may now re-enter the scheduling system to book regular appointments.”

United States B1/B2 Visa

Non-immigrant visas for visitors allow people to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), tourism (visa category B-2), or both (B-1/B-2). This visa has a maximum validity period of ten years.

B1 and B2 visa holders are permitted to stay in the United States for up to six months at a time. Each visa application will be evaluated on its own merits, and the adjudicating officer may grant a stay of fewer than six months – the maximum period for an initial stay under the B classification.

Also Read: United States To Expedite H-1B Visa Processing

Appointments For Student Visa

The US Embassy has also opened visa appointments for students who need to be on campus by mid-August. Those who wish to apply for a student visa can take an appointment through the official website of the US in India.

The embassy also stated that interviews for F, M, and J visas will begin after August 14.

Despite the fact that the US has been expediting study and work-related visas, those planning to travel on tourist visas have had to wait due to an inability to get an appointment this year or even next year.

The Biden administration lifted the requirement for international air travellers to take a COVID-19 test within a day of boarding their flights in June, easing one of the last remaining government mandates aimed at containing the coronavirus’s spread.