If you are an Indian applicant seeking an early appointment for a B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) visa in the United States, the best option may be to apply for an interview at the US consulate in Frankfurt, Germany. According to a US Embassy official in Delhi, the consulate has allocated specific visa interview appointments for Indian applicants, which means that the wait time for an appointment in Frankfurt is only three days, as opposed to several hundred days in cities in India.
While the backlog for B1/B2 visa interviews in India has been reduced in recent times, with wait times of almost three years being reduced to around one year, there is still more work to be done to expedite the process. Additionally, applicants in India are facing technical glitches in the new portal for scheduling non-immigrant visa interviews. Efforts are being made to resolve these issues as quickly as possible, and the US Embassy officials regret any inconvenience caused.
In an attempt to reduce the backlog, Indians have been allowed to apply for visas at US consulates abroad, such as Bangkok. However, there is no data available on how many Indian passport holders availed of this option. The US Embassy officials emphasize that India is a top priority, and they have reduced wait times for first-time visitor visa interviews by 70% since the beginning of 2023. They are dedicated to further reducing wait times through additional staffing and the use of remote processing options.
Regarding visa wait times, the US Embassy officials state that all non-immigrant visa categories in India, except for first-time visitor visa applicants, have wait times close to pre-pandemic levels or even lower. The number of visas issued across various categories has significantly increased. For travelers who do not require an interview, wait times are very low. Since the start of the fiscal year, US Mission India has issued over 330,000 petition-based temporary employment visas, an increase of 71% compared to the same period in 2019.
While progress has been made, there is still more work to be done to bring down nonimmigrant visa wait times. The US Embassy is determined to process over 1 million visas this year and is focused on providing the necessary tools, resources, and support to achieve this goal. They also remind applicants of the option to travel outside India for non-immigrant visa interviews, with the consulate in Frankfurt specifically dedicating interview appointments for Indian applicants. Furthermore, certain Indian non-immigrant visa applicants, including those renewing previously expired visas, may apply without an interview if they meet certain requirements. Wait times for temporary workers applying in New Delhi and Mumbai are currently under 45 days as of mid-July.
The US Embassy and Consulates in India are currently experiencing technical glitches with their website for scheduling nonimmigrant visa appointments. According to an official, they are closely monitoring customer reports and working diligently to resolve these technical issues as quickly as possible. The goal is to ensure that US visa applicants in India can reliably access the website to schedule their visa interview appointments without any further delays.
In regards to visa applications, applicants who have paid the nonimmigrant visa processing fee (commonly known as the machine-readable visa fee) before October 1, 2022, have until September 30, 2023, to schedule their visa interviews or submit applications for an interview waiver. It is important to note that the interview does not necessarily have to take place before this date.
With regards to student visas, there have been recent changes in the process. Student visas (F and M) can now be issued up to 365 days prior to the program start date. This change was made to improve the efficiency of student visa interview processing. In the previous fiscal year, the US embassy and consulates in India achieved a record-breaking number of student and exchange visitor visas issued, surpassing 125,000 visas. India has now become the second-largest origin country for US international students, with China being the largest sender of students to the US for higher education.
The contributions of international students to the US economy are significant, amounting to over $32 billion annually and creating more than 300,000 jobs. Higher education is considered a top 10 service-sector export. The US is currently on track to issue the highest number of student visas in a year since FY 2016.
The Department of State is dedicated to promoting international education and student mobility to and from the United States. They believe that international student mobility is crucial for diplomacy, innovation, economic prosperity, and national security. Facilitating the ability of foreign students and academic exchange visitors to study in US universities and colleges is a priority. As of June 30, FY 2023 has seen over 392,000 F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, and academic J-1 and J-2 visas issued. The Department of State remains committed to facilitating travel for international students, recognizing their vital contributions to US campuses, communities, people-to-people ties, and the US economy.