Us Visa Interview Wait Times In India Ease Slightly But Remain Some Of The World’s Longest Causing Major Travel Disruptions; Discover Powerful Alternatives For Faster Approvals Abroad

Published on August 12, 2025 |

US visa question and reply hold times successful India person seen only flimsy improvement, yet they stay among nan longest globally owed to precocious request and constricted assignment readiness astatine cardinal consulates. This persistent backlog causes important delays for business travelers, tourists, and urgent applicants. As a result, galore Indians are turning to adjacent countries pinch faster scheduling options to debar prolonged waits and support their recreation plans connected track.

Applicants from India pursuing US B1/B2 visas proceed to look prolonged delays for question and reply appointments. In Mumbai and Hyderabad, nan hold typically stretches to astir 3 months. Chennai experiences moreover longer delays, averaging 8 and a half months. Meanwhile, Delhi and Kolkata applicants hold astir 4 and a half and six months, respectively. In contrast, neighboring hubs specified arsenic nan UAE and Singapore supply faster scheduling options, pinch recreation expenses to these destinations remaining reasonably budget-friendly.

According to nan astir caller update from nan US Department of State connected July 29, 2025, Indian candidates applying for B1/B2 business and tourer visas proceed to acquisition lengthy delays for question and reply slots. The mean waiting play varies, pinch Mumbai and Hyderabad applicants typically waiting astir 3 months, Chennai facing nan longest hold astatine 8 and a half months, New Delhi astir 4 and a half months, and Kolkata astir six months.

While these hold times person shown immoderate betterment compared to earlier this year, they still airs important challenges for those readying business trips, vacations, aliases urgent travel.

Appointment readiness and hold durations proceed to alteration wide crossed locations.

It’s basal to understand nan favoritism betwixt “average hold time” and “next disposable appointment” for visa interviews. The mean hold clip measures really agelong erstwhile applicants waited from paying nan visa interest to attending their interview. In contrast, nan adjacent disposable assignment shows nan soonest day presently unfastened for booking.

For Indian consulates, nan adjacent disposable question and reply dates for B1/B2 visas are approximately:
Chennai: 5 months
New Delhi: 5.5 months
Mumbai: 5.5 months
Hyderabad: 5 months
Kolkata: 6 months

Applicants are advised to often cheque nan assignment portals since earlier slots tin unfastened up unexpectedly.

Faster US Visa Interview Options successful Nearby Countries
Many Indian travelers opt to schedule their US visa interviews successful neighboring countries to debar agelong waits. Several US embassies and consulates crossed nan Gulf and Southeast Asia connection interviews wrong 1 period aliases less:
Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Singapore: 0 to 1 month
Kathmandu: 1 month
Bangkok: 2 months

Traveling to these locations for a visa question and reply tin prevention weeks aliases moreover months compared to waiting for an assignment successful India.

Travel Costs for Overseas Visa Interviews
While airfare to these countries varies, prices are mostly reasonable erstwhile weighed against nan clip saved:

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha flights typically scope from ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 information trip
Kathmandu flights costs betwixt ₹4,000 and ₹7,000 information trip
Bangkok flights commencement astatine astir ₹7,000 information trip

In summation to airfare, travelers should facet successful accommodation and section proscription expenses, though short stays are usually capable to complete nan visa process.

Keep Monitoring Appointment Availability
The US Department of State recommends that applicants regularly cheque for caller assignment openings moreover aft booking. Consulates often merchandise further slots, allowing applicants to reschedule for earlier dates.

This strategy tin trim hold times without nan request for world travel. However, for those requiring urgent processing, scheduling interviews astatine adjacent embassies remains a viable alternative.