Faster US Visa Processing for Indians in Delhi and Chennai

Indian applicants seeking a US visa have some positive news this month, as several cities, including New Delhi and Chennai, report shorter wait times for key visa categories. The US State Department shows that appointment wait periods for common visa types like B-1/B-2 (business and tourist) and student/exchange visitor visas (F, M, J) have reduced significantly in India.

In New Delhi, the average wait time for B-1/B-2 visas dropped from 6.5 months to 3.5 months. For F, M, and J visas, the next available appointment time fell from two months to just half a month. Chennai also improved, with next available B-1/B-2 appointments reduced from five to three months.

Other Indian cities show varied wait times. Kolkata’s wait for B-1/B-2 is 4.5 months, while Mumbai remains high at 9.5 months. For temporary worker categories (H, L, O, P, Q), Chennai and Mumbai have reduced waits to one month, while Hyderabad shows a two-month waiting period.

Categories explained: B-1/B-2 are for business and tourism, F/M visas are for academic and vocational students, J is for exchange visitors, and H/L/O/P/Q cover various employment and cultural programs.

The reported wait times represent averages and may change. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the appointment system regularly for earlier openings.

Additionally, the interview waiver policy (“Dropbox”) has been discontinued for students, temporary workers, and others, requiring in-person appointments for most categories since October 1.

US visa wait times, Indian applicants, B-1/B-2 visa, F M J visa, interview waiver