Long wait for B1/B2 interviews
People planning to travel to the United States on tourist and business visas are facing extended delays, with interview appointments taking about 346 days to secure, according to the US Government Accountability Office.
Heavy demand from India
Each year, millions travel to the US for work, education and tourism, with Indian applicants forming a major share. In the last financial year alone, about 1.45 million temporary visa applications were filed from India.
Limited staffing adds pressure
To process this volume, only 68 consular officers are currently in service in India. This means each officer is handling an average of 21,401 applications, contributing to the long appointment backlog.
Wait times and fees rise
The 346-day wait is about eight times higher than the 42-day wait seen before the 2019 pre-pandemic period. Alongside delays, an additional fee has been introduced for temporary visas: applicants pay a base fee of ₹15,500 for tourist or business visas, and under the new rule, an extra ₹24,000 is to be paid when the visa is approved.
