The U.S. State Department has reported a decline in average visa wait times across several key cities, although the interview waiver option is no longer available for most visa categories.
The U.S. State Department has recently updated its visa appointment wait times, revealing notable changes across various cities. One significant alteration is the discontinuation of the interview waiver option, commonly referred to as the “Dropbox” facility, which is no longer available for most visa categories, including temporary work visas and F-1 student visas. This change impacts a broad spectrum of travelers who previously relied on this expedited, paperwork-only process.
According to the BAL U.S. Practice Group, New Delhi has seen a dramatic reduction in wait times for F, M, and J visas. The wait time has decreased from approximately two months to about half a month, providing relief for many applicants in this category.
In contrast, Shanghai has experienced a significant increase in wait times for H, L, O, P, and Q visa appointments. These wait times have surged from under half a month to around three months, a notable rise compared to the figures reported in the global update from October.
Chennai (Madras) has also recorded a significant shift in wait times for B-1/B-2 visas, with average wait times moving from five months to “N/A.” The next available appointments for interviews have decreased from a five-month wait to three months since October.
New Delhi has similarly improved its B-1/B-2 interview-required wait times, which have dropped from 6.5 months to 3.5 months over the same period. However, some cities continue to experience lengthy wait times for these types of visas.
The cities with the longest wait times for B-1/B-2 interview-required visas include Toronto at 16.5 months, San Jose at 13 months, Lagos at 12.5 months, Merida at 11.5 months, and Ottawa at 11 months. While most petition-based work visas that require interviews fall within a wait window of under half a month to about three months, a few locations remain notable exceptions.
Overall, the latest global wait times in major visa-issuing cities show little movement. For work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) and student or exchange visitor categories (F, M, J), the next available interview dates have largely remained steady compared to the previous month across the key cities being tracked.
The U.S. State Department’s monthly updates provide reported wait times that reflect the average duration for non-immigrant visa interviews and an estimate for the next available visitor visa appointment. However, these averages do not guarantee that any individual applicant will secure an appointment within that timeframe.
U.S. embassies and consulates often open additional appointment slots, meaning new dates can become available regularly. The State Department counts months in 30-day increments and half months in 15-day increments, including weekends and holidays when embassies are closed. Once an interview is booked, applicants can monitor the scheduling system and reschedule to an earlier slot if one opens up.
As the visa landscape continues to evolve, applicants are encouraged to stay informed about the latest updates and changes to the appointment process.
Source: Original article