U.S. B1 and B2 Visa Appointment Slots Re-opens after 2 Years

According to the website of the U.S. State Department, the waiting period for Indians looking to secure a visitor visa to the U.S. has gone up to 800 days, while the waiting period for student/exchange visitor and non-immigrant visas is nearly 400 days. 

After closing the visa appointments for two years due to the pandemic, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India have finally opened interview slots for new visa applicants. However, the officials also warned that they would be unable to accommodate travelers before their scheduled departure dates because of the high volume of visa applicants.

 “Visa appointments are now open for all categories! But because of high demand, wait times remain significant,” the U.S. Embassy in India tweeted on September 27.  

According to the U.S. State Department website, the waiting time for Indians looking to visit the U.S. for a tour or holiday has gone up to 800 days. In contrast, for student visa /exchange visitor visas and other non-immigrant visas, the waiting period is nearly 400 days. 

The U.S. Mission to India also resumed processing routine in-person B1/B2 visa appointments starting September 2022. The embassy added that the demand for appointments is high across all visa categories due to a staff shortage and pandemic-related disruptions. Moreover, wait times may be prolonged for most routine non-immigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai. 

Validity of MRV fee payment extended

The applicants who have already paid the fee, the U.S. Mission will extend the validity of payment, officially known as the MRV fee, until September 30, 2023, so those who were unable to schedule a visa appointment due to the suspension of the services can reschedule or attend a visa appointment. 

Waivers for certain categories 

The U.S. Department of State has also authorized zonal consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain visa applicants through December 31, 2022. 

This new authorization applies to applicants who had previously issued visas for H-1H-3, H-4, F non-blanket L, M, O, P, Q, and academic J visas. The authorization is not for those who were previously rejected and were not subsequently waived.