View updated visa appointment wait times here.
With international travel resuming, several countries are opening up their borders to welcome visitors. Beginning October 15, 2021, India has begun issuing visitor visas to those boarding chartered flights and for those boarding regular flights from November 15, 2021.
The White House announced that they will lift all travel restrictions for over 32 countries on November 8, 2021. This would mean that fully vaccinated visitors holding a valid visa will be allowed to enter the USA.
India had been suffering under a second wave of the Covid-19 virus. As a result of increasing infection rates and Covid deaths, the U.S. Consulates and Embassy in India have temporarily closed all operations. Regular visa appointments were not being issued either. A few, limited visa slots for are being released for non-immigrant work visas like H1-B, F1 student visa and L1.
How Is Nov 8th, Date Of Reopening US Borders, Affecting U.S. Visa Appointments At U.S. Consulates
US consulates abroad will begin issuing tourist visas for those who wish to travel to the US after November 8, when USA reopens its birders for international travelers. This includes B2 visitor visa, and B1 business visas. If you want to know how to apply for a US visa, visit the B2 visitor visa process.
However, anyone having to travel to the U.S. should plan in advance and apply for the essential non-immigrant visa meant for temporary visitors. While the US consulates are beginning to issue regular visitor visas, Covid pandemic continues to delay visa processing and restrict operation hours. Visa applicants should expect delays in administrative process due to shortage of staff. The Department of State, DHS and CDC are yet to issue clear guidelines about travel requirements for the foreseeable future. Moreover, as the announcement was made recently, travel agents are seeing a rush in flight bookings. This will reflect in the rush of people seeking visa appointments after 18-months of closure. Travelers should keep these in mind and plan accordingly.
While the wait times are lengthy and unpredictable due to the pandemic, we have listed the most updated wait times for visa appointments at U.S. consulates in India.
The capacity is limited with very few available visa appointment or interview slots. Until regular operations resume, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates provide weekly updates about their hours of operation.
US Visa Appointment Wait Times In India
The current wait times below are as of October 2021. Please check the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for confirmed information about the latest wait times.
US Visa Appointment At New Delhi Consulate
- Visitor Visa – 70 Days
- Student Visas – 26 Days
- All Other Non-Immigrant Visas – 29 Days
US Visa Appointment At Mumbai Consulate
- Visitor Visa – Emergency Appointments Only
- Student Visas – 25 Days
- All Other Non-Immigrant Visas – Emergency Appointments Only
US Visa Appointment At Chennai Consulate – Temporarily Closed
US Visa Appointment At Hyderabad Consulate – Temporarily Closed
US Visa Appointment At Kolkata Consulate – Emergency Appointments Available
Wait Time For U.S. Visa Interview
Due to the lockdown, the U.S. embassy and most consulates in India are closed. The approximate wait time for a visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate will depend upon available personnel and total number of visa applications. This can alter on a weekly basis. All applicants are requested to keep checking the website for available slots.
Are You Eligible For An Expedited U.S. Visa Interview Appointment?
Every non-immigrant visa applicant has to first submit the online visa application Form DS-160, pay the application fee, and schedule the interview appointment by seeking the first available appointment. With most U.S. consulates in India temporarily closed, the wait times are pretty lengthy.
Can you expedite your chances of getting a visa interview appointment? Under certain circumstances, U.S. consulates may expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation like a death of an immediate family member, personal medical emergency, or that of an immediate family member or in the case of international students, school start date.
Please visit the individual websites of these consulates to request for and schedule an expedited non-immigrant visa interview. You will need to provide proof showing the special circumstances under which you need an expedited visa interview.
What Does Not Qualify As A Reason To Expedite U.S Visa Appointments & Interviews
Traveling to the U.S. for the following reasons does not qualify for expedited appointments. For such travel, you have to schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance.
- Attending weddings and graduation ceremonies,
- Assisting pregnant relatives,
- Participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference, or
- Tourism purposes.
Special Cases Requiring Administrative Processing
If the visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer will refuse issuing a U.S non-immigrant visa. In certain cases, the consular officer may give another chance to evaluate the visa application. This is called Administrative Processing. This can delay the total time of visa processing. The above wait times does not include time required for administrative processing. Visa applicants should apply early enough to cater to such potential processing delays.
If the Consular officer notifies that the visa application has gone for administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, before making enquires at the consulate.
