Wait times for US visitor visa interviews have surged worldwide as consular staffing declines and demand for travel remains high, raising concerns for tourists, business travelers and families planning trips to the country. Indian travelers are also facing lengthy appointment delays, according to a report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The average global wait for a visitor visa interview increased to 201 days in fiscal year 2025, compared with 26 days in fiscal year 2019, the watchdog said. In a blog post published on October 14, the GAO warned that prolonged waits may be contributing to the US tourism industry's struggle to return to pre-pandemic levels.
The findings come as the US continues to process millions of applications for temporary travel. The GAO's report, published on September 28, identified staffing shortages and gaps in workforce planning as factors contributing to delays at high-demand consular posts.
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US consular staffing falls 32%
The number of full-time staff working on visitor visas worldwide fell from 1,342 in fiscal year 2024 to 904 in fiscal year 2025, a decline of about 32%, according to the GAO. The agency attributed the reduction to hiring freezes and attrition.
{{/usCountry}}The number of full-time staff working on visitor visas worldwide fell from 1,342 in fiscal year 2024 to 904 in fiscal year 2025, a decline of about 32%, according to the GAO. The agency attributed the reduction to hiring freezes and attrition.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, worldwide nonimmigrant visa applications increased from 11.4 million in fiscal year 2019 to 13.54 million in fiscal year 2025.
The GAO identified the in-person interview as the main step driving long waits. Applicants generally need to schedule an appointment at a US consulate, while officials must balance processing speed with document checks and national security requirements.
Indian travelers also face delays
India recorded 1,455,255 nonimmigrant visa applications in fiscal year 2025, with 68 consular officers working on these applications, according to the GAO. This amounted to approximately 21,401 applications per officer.
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The figures highlight the pressure on US visa operations in India, where travelers seek visitor visas for tourism, family visits and business trips. Long appointment waits can complicate travel plans, particularly for people with fixed departure dates.
Waits varied significantly across countries. Colombia recorded an average interview wait of 597 days in fiscal year 2025, while India also experienced lengthy delays. These figures relate to interview appointments and do not represent the total time needed for a visa decision. Waits can also vary by location.
Watchdog flags gaps in workforce planning
The GAO found that the State Department had not consistently conducted its Global Repositioning Exercise (GREX), an assessment designed to help match consular staffing with workloads. Although intended to be annual, the exercise had been conducted and implemented only once since fiscal year 2019.
The watchdog recommended that the department require the exercise to be conducted consistently. The State Department has also used remote processing for eligible visa renewals, outsourced some administrative tasks and adjusted interview schedules to manage workloads.
International travel and tourism contributed $176 billion to the US economy in 2025, down $5 billion from 2024 and $28 billion below pre-pandemic levels, the GAO said. Better workforce planning, it added, could help reduce backlogs and support tourism.