The wait time for obtaining US visitor visas in India has significantly decreased by 60% this year, according to a senior US official, Julie Stufft. This news comes as a relief to many Indian citizens who have been struggling to secure a timely visa appointment due to long wait times in the past, especially towards the end of 2022 when visitor visa appointment wait times soared to 999 days.
An analysis of current visitor visa appointment wait times confirms this news – most consulates have wait times down to less than a year. This is excellent news, as we just reported in March of this year that visa appointment wait times were on the rise again, increasing from January 2023. However, the chart below shows just how much visitor visa appointment wait times have begun to decrease in just 6 weeks!
(Current wait times as of April 21, 2023)
While a year is still quite a long time to wait for a visitor visa interview, it’s a dramatic improvement from the wait times in 2022. Last year, it seemed that those who were looking to visit the US to see family or attend business conferences were going to have to wait almost three years before getting the opportunity to have an interview, plus more processing time if their visa was ultimately approved.
Why Have Interview Appointment Wait Times Reduced?
It appears that the US consulates and embassies in India have made concerted efforts to reduce wait times, likely due to return back to some sense of normalcy post-COVID-19 pandemic. The senior US official also attributed shorter appointment wait times to increased hiring efforts for additional processing capacity. They are also opening up a new consulate in Hyderabad. The US Embassy in India is working towards issuing 1 million visas, which is beyond pre-pandemic numbers.
Student Visa Interview Appointments
In addition to decreasing wait times for visitor visas, they are also working on getting more appointments opened up for student visas, which is currently a pain point. It is very difficult for Indian nationals to schedule student visa interviews at the moment as no appointments are available. The US Embassy in India reports that more student visa appointments will be available once their peak season begins in May through August.
Interview Waiver Program Extension
The expansion of interview waivers has also helped decrease visa appointment wait time as less visa applicants need to physically attend an interview to be approved. This expansion allows applicants who are renewing any visa in the same category within 48 months of expiration to be eligible for an interview waiver. This includes F, H-1, H-3, H-4, non-blanket L, M, O, P, Q, and academic J visas who were previously issued any type of visa.
This news of a significant reduction in US visitor visa appointment wait times in India is encouraging, and demonstrates the ongoing efforts by both the US and Indian governments to make the visa application process smoother and more efficient for travelers. With more people now able to obtain visas in a timely manner, it is hoped that there will be an increase in travel and business between the two countries – and families can be reunited again!
See our US visitor visa interview help page for information on how to set up your visa appointment at a US consulate or embassy.
