Wait times for US Visa Appointments have significantly decreased from nearly 1000 days in late 2022 to nearly 650 days of average wait time in all of India’s consulates in Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai, as well as the embassy in New Delhi. This exciting news will come into effect in the new year 2023.
However, while the wait times for visa appointments for visitor visas have decreased, the wait times for US student visas have increased to over 100 days at all Indian consulates and embassies, from approximately 50 to 60 days in 2022.
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US Visa Appointment Wait Times in India
The wait time for visitor visas at the Hyderabad consulate has decreased from 994 to 261 calendar days, while it has decreased from 961 to 786 at the New Delhi Embassy.
Additionally, the wait times for visitor visas at the consulates in Chennai and Kolkata have decreased from 948 to 800 and 904 to 370 days, respectively.
| U.S. Embassy | Visitor Visa | Student/Exchange Visitor Visas |
| New Delhi | 786 Calendar Days | 104 Calendar Days |
| Mumbai | 999 Calendar Days | 104 Calendar Days |
| Chennai | 800 Calendar Days | 104 Calendar Days |
| Hyderabad | 261 Calendar Days | 331 Calendar Days |
| Kolkata | 370 Calendar Days | 104 Calendar Days |
The effort to reduce visa waiting times in India
The United States is making every effort to cut down on wait times for visa interview appointments in India, according to top State Department official Ned Price. Price also said that visa processing is recovering much faster than expected and may return to levels before the pandemic in 2023.
Ned Price stated, “We expect to reach pre-pandemic processing levels over the coming year.” Visa processing is recovering faster than anticipated. He said that he understands the anxiety of those who have to wait a long time for visa applications due to a backlog.
He stated, “I can tell you that it is a priority of the Secretary and the Department to do everything we can to reduce that backlog and ultimately reduce wait times.”
Additionally, Ned Price claims that the United States of America’s Indian embassies and consulates set a new record for the number of student visas issued in a single year in 2022, surpassing the previous record set in 2016.
US Extents In-Person Interview Waiver
The US extends the in-person interview waiver program for nonimmigrant visa applicants, including international students and individuals with temporary work visas, in recent months. According to the US Department of State, this extension of the visa waiver is anticipated to encourage travel to the United States and further shorten visa wait times.
For certain first-time and/or renewing applicants, consular officers are authorized to waive in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis until December 31, 2023, according to a press release from the US State Department.
The following are visa categories:
- Temporary Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Workers (H-2 visas)
- Students (F and M visas), an
- Academic Exchange Visitors (academic J visas)
