Despite efforts to reduce the backlog, the average waiting time for a US visa appointment in India is still above 500 days. As a result, the US embassy in India advised Indians who are traveling overseas to make an appointment at the US embassy or consulate of their final destination. As an illustration, it stated that Thailand had an 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,” the US embassy in India tweeted.
The US has introduced additional steps, such as arranging special interviews for first-time applicants and expanding the strength of consular workers, to reduce delays in the processing of visas. The US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad also held “special Saturday interview days” on January 21 as part of the multifaceted strategy to reduce the visa backlog.
For applicants with prior US visas, the US State Department has also instituted remote processing of interview waiver instances. Two weeks ago, the US mission in India published over 2,50,000 new B1/B2 appointments.
