US Visa Wait Time Still Over 500 Days! Delhi to Mumbai
US Visa Wait Time in India: The Long and Short of It
In an attempt to facilitate smoother travel to the United States, the U.S. government has worked tirelessly to reduce US visa processing times in India. However, for many hopeful travelers, the wait times for U.S. visas still hover over 500 days, albeit a significant improvement from the staggering 1,000-day waiting period earlier this year.
US Visa Categories and Wait Times
The B1/B2 non-immigrant visitor visas, designed for business and tourism, exhibit varying wait times across different cities in India. According to the Department of State-Bureau of Consular Affairs website, as of now, the wait times span between 506 and 596 days. For those seeking B1/B2 visas, the following are the estimated wait times in major Indian cities:
- New Delhi: 542 days
- Mumbai: 596 days
- Kolkata: 539 days
- Chennai: 531 days
- Hyderabad: 511 days
Fortunately, for individuals applying for H-1B or F1 visas, the wait times are considerably shorter, ranging from a mere 2 days to a maximum of 90 days.
Progress in US Visa Processing
Over the past year, concentrated efforts were made to address the protracted US visa processing times, which had reached an astonishing three-year high during the previous winter.
In a bid to tackle the backlog of visa applications and meet the surging demand, Indian applicants were provided with an alternative – the opportunity to apply for U.S. visas at consulates situated outside India. For instance, the U.S. consulate in Bangkok offers significantly reduced wait times, providing relief to many.
A senior embassy official was quoted last month as saying, “In India, all non-immigrant visa categories, except first-time visitor visa applicants, have interview wait times close to pre-pandemic levels or lower. We have significantly increased the number of visas issued across the board…. Wait times for travelers who do not require an interview are very low.”
Proposed Changes by the U.S. Government
In more recent news, the Joe Biden administration has introduced proposals aimed at revamping the H-1B foreign workers program. These proposed changes seek to enhance efficiency by streamlining eligibility criteria and offering greater flexibility to F-1 students, entrepreneurs, and individuals working for non-profit organizations.
The goal is to ensure better conditions for various non-immigrant workers. Notably, these changes do not alter the Congress-mandated limit of 60,000 H-1B visas issued annually by the U.S.
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