US visa wait time for Indians drop sharply, check latest update on F-1 and B-1/B-2 interview appointments

Wait times for US visas have decreased in major Indian cities, with New Delhi's F, M, J visa appointments dropping from two months to half a month.

Amid US visa row, there is some good news for Indian applicants as wait periods for key categories have decreased in several place in India. New Delhi, Chennai, and other places have noticed major changes in the availability of next appointments.

Indian applicants benefit from reduced US visa wait times, particularly in New Delhi where F, M, and J visas dropped to 0.5 months. Chennai's B-1/B-2 interviews have changed to N/A, highlighting significant improvements across several cities. (Representational Image)

US visa: Appointment wait times across India

As per the US State Department, New Delhi has observed a significant decrease in the wait times for next available appointments for F, M, and J visas, dropping from two months to just half a month.

In Shanghai, the wait times for next available appointments for H, L, O, P, and Q visas have nearly tripled, increasing from under half a month to three months when compared to the global visa wait time report from October.

Chennai's average wait times for B-1/B-2 interviews, which previously stood at five months, have now changed to “N/A”. Additionally, the next available appointments for interview-required visas have decreased from a five-month wait to a three-month wait in comparison to the report from October.

F, M, J next available appointment: 2 months

H, L, O, P, Q next available appointment: 1 month

In New Delhi, the wait times for B-1/B-2 interviews have been reduced by half, dropping from 6.5 months to 3.5 months when compared to the update in October.

B-1/B-2 next available appointment: 10 months

F, M, J next available appointment: 0.5 months

Kolkata

B-1/B-2 average wait time: 4.5 months

B-1/B-2 next available appointment: 5 months

F, M, J next available appointment: 2.5 months

H, L, O, P, Q next available appointment: NA

Mumbai

B-1/B-2 average wait time: 9.5 months

B-1/B-2 next available appointment: 9.5 months

F, M, J next available appointment: 3 months

H, L, O, P, Q next available appointment: 1 month

Hyderabad

B-1/B-2 average wait time: 4 months

B-1/B-2 next available appointment: 5 months

F, M, J next available appointment: 2.5 months

H, L, O, P, Q next available appointment: 2 months

The cities or posts that continue to experience the longest average wait times for B-1/B-2 interview-required visas are Toronto (16.5 months), San Jose (13 months), Lagos (12.5 months), Merida (11.5 months), and Ottawa (11 months).

How to check visa wait time availability

The State Department estimates time in months using 30-day intervals and half months using 15-day increments. This computation takes into account holidays and weekends when embassies are closed. New appointments are added on a regular basis, which means you may secure an appointment sooner than planned. After booking your interview, you can utilize the appointment scheduling system to check for earlier opportunities if a slot becomes available.

The “Average wait time” represents the typical duration that individuals waited for interviews (measured from the payment of fees to the date of the visa interview) during the previous month.

Average wait times are particularly mentioned for B1/B2 visas only in circumstances where the next available appointment is more than three months away. It is crucial to note that average wait times may differ from the next available appointment.

Due to the State Department's frequent posting of new appointments, applicants have the chance to reschedule their appointment to an earlier available slot, potentially lowering their waiting time. If they choose not to reschedule to an earlier date, their average waiting time will remain greater.