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ARTICLE · 07 JULY 2016

Mission India Announces Significant Delays In US Nonimmigrant Visa Processing

Morgan Lewis
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The US Department of State recently announced that US consular posts in India are experiencing unusually long wait times for nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview appointments.

United StatesImmigration
A. James Vázquez-Azpiri
A. James Vázquez-Azpiri

Expect further delays throughout the summer.

The US Department of State recently announced that US consular posts in India are experiencing unusually long wait times for nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview appointments. Current wait times for H and L visas are between 75 and 100 days. Current wait times for nonimmigrant visa interview appointments (not including B, F, and J visas) are as follows:

  • Chennai—75 days
  • Hyderabad—93 days
  • Kolkata—96 days
  • Mumbai—88 days
  • New Delhi—100 days

These backlogs will likely increase throughout the summer, especially with the enormous increase in student applications that typically occurs in the summer months. The Department of State hopes to add consular positions to alleviate the increase in visa wait times. There are also plans to open a new US consulate in India in the foreseeable future.

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