Indian applicants seeking US tourist visas are facing significantly longer waiting periods, with average interview wait times rising by as much as 36% at some of the country's busiest consulates, according to the latest global visa appointment data released by the US State Department. The June 18 update shows that Hyderabad and Mumbai now have average wait times of 9.5 months for interview-required B-1/B-2 visitor visas, placing them among the longest queues globally. New Delhi's wait has increased to 7.5 months, while Chennai remains at 5.5 months. Kolkata is the only major Indian post to register an improvement, with wait times falling from 4.5 months to 4 months.
The increase means India now features prominently among the world's longest waiting destinations for US visitor visas, alongside Canadian cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver, and Colombia's Bogota. According to the latest data, the cities with the longest average wait times for B-1/B-2 visitor visas are: Toronto: 21 months, Ottawa: 14 months, Vancouver: 12 months, Bogota: 11 months, Hyderabad: 9.5 months, Mumbai: 9.5 months, New Delhi: 7.5 months. The State Department noted that wait times in most Indian cities increased by at least two months, representing a month-on-month jump of roughly 36%.
The longer queues are largely confined to visitor visas, while applicants for student visas (F, M and J) continue to face relatively shorter waits: Hyderabad: 1.5 months, Mumbai: 1.5 months, New Delhi: 2 months. Similarly, petition-based work visas including H-1B, L-1, O, P and Q continue to move considerably faster than visitor visas: Mumbai: 1.5 months, New Delhi: 2 months, Hyderabad: 3.5 months. The US State Department cautioned that the published figures are average wait times and do not guarantee an applicant will receive an appointment within that period.
The latest wait-time update comes ahead of the US State Department's planned pilot programme for expedited visitor visa interviews. Beginning July 1, eligible B-1/B-2 visa applicants at selected US embassies and consulates will be able to pay an additional $750—over and above the standard $185 visa application fee—to secure an interview appointment within 10 business days. The pilot is scheduled to run until December 31, 2026, although the participating consulates are yet to be announced. The premium service will only fast-track the interview appointment and will not guarantee visa approval or faster processing after the interview.
