The US has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to lower visa processing times and has initiated a number of measures to significantly shorten the 500-day wait period for Indian nationals to obtain a US visa. Indian citizens travelling overseas can schedule a visa appointment at the US embassy or consulate in their country of destination, according to the US Embassy.
To cut delays in processing visas, US launches new initiatives
A number of new measures include hiring more consular employees and setting up special interviews for first-time candidates. The US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkotta, and Hyderabad also held “special interview” days on January 21 in an effort to reduce the backlog of visa applications.
As an example, the US embassy tweeted about Thailand’s appointment capacity for B1 and B2 visas (travel and business).
“Do you have upcoming international travel? If so, you may be able to get a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your destination. For example, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians who will be in Thailand in the coming months,”
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Senior US visa officer: US is “putting every ounce of its energy” to eliminate long visa wait time in India
Over 2,50,000 extra B1/B2 appointments were made available by the US mission in India two weeks ago, despite the US state department’s remote handling of interview waiver applications for applicants with prior US visas.
The US has taken seriously its goal of ending the Indian visa wait time. Additionally, it has dispatched a group of consular personnel and allowed Indian citizens to apply for visas at its other foreign embassies, including those in Thailand and Germany.
India was one of the only nations where applications for US visas witnessed a significant increase when coronavirus-related travel restrictions were eased, and the waiting period for first-time B1/B2 visa applicants in India was close to three years in October of last year.
There have been many worries about the lengthy wait times for first-time visa applicants in India, particularly for those seeking under the B1 (Business) and B2 (Tourist) categories.
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