There may be limited choices available to applicants who must leave immediately for the United States but who reside in a nation where visa appointments are backlogged.
Visa Consultation Wait times are still below pre-pandemic levels.
Even though the global average has decreased, first-time visitor visa interview waits times have continued to increase. It might be challenging to book a visa appointment at any acceptable period in the future for applicants who have finished their DS-160 and paid their MRV cost in various countries.
For instance, in India, the wait period for a visa for a first-time applicant might be as long as 900 days before an appointment becomes available. The wait periods for an H-1B or L-1 visa appointment are close to a year.
The Department of State has talked about several ways to reduce wait times, even in prominent places like India. These tactics have included increasing personnel to pre-pandemic levels, exempting students, select employees, and visa renewal applicants from the in-person interview requirement, and moving visa applications to slower posts for adjudication. Although these measures are a solid step forward, they have not yet standardized visa wait times for all locations quickly enough.
Fast-tracking B1/B2 Visa Appointment Delays
There may be limited choices available to applicants who need to go urgently to the United States yet are situated in a nation where visa appointments are backlogged. The sole option available to applicants who do not meet the requirements for the drop box or waiver of them
B-1/B-2 appointment is to ask for an accelerated appointment.
The availability of accelerated appointment times has been reaffirmed by the US Embassy. Even if a traveler has a time-sensitive reason, the US Embassy is unable to accept all requests due to the number of requests received.
Only a select few tourists will be eligible for a fast-track appointment with the US embassy in their area.
Expedited appointments are often only available to travelers who meet the following criteria:
- The need for immediate medical attention or treatment,
- The passing of a loved one,
- A business trip that must be taken immediately and that might seriously hurt the US company’s finances, or
- Student or exchange visitors whose programme starts soon or whose ESTA applications have been rejected are all examples of urgent situations.
When an expedited appointment is requested, the US Embassy will require supporting paperwork and evidence of the urgent travel requirement.
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