US eases visa backlog, opens select American missions abroad for Indians

The waiting period for B1/B2 category visas had crossed 1,000-days in October (Representative image)

To reduce the ever-growing backlog of visa applications in India, the US embassy is allowing Indians seeking business or tourist visas to apply at some of its embassies or consulates abroad.

Its embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, for instance, is among the missions where Indias can get an appointment for B1 (business) or B2 (travel) visa.

"Do you have upcoming international travel? If so, you may be able to get a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your destination. For example, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians who will be in Thailand in the coming months. (sic)," it tweeted.

Do you have upcoming international travel? If so, you may be able to get a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your destination. For example, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians who will be in Thailand in the coming months. pic.twitter.com/tjunlBqeYu

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) February 3, 2023

A surge in the number of Indian applicants after two years of Covid and a reduced staff strength at its embassy and consulates during the pandemic period increased the waiting time for B1/B2 visa appointments for Indians to an unprecedented three years in October.

Also Read | Making every effort to reduce visa interview appointment time in India: US

You are in the queue 

Over the past few months, the situation has improved a bit but the waiting time on average still stands at a staggering 400 days.

In January, the US missions in India issued 2,50,000 additional visa appointments. A "special Saturday interview days" was also held on January 21 at the embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Julie Stufft, the deputy assistant secretary for visa services in India, told PTI news agency that all possible measures were being taken to reduce the waiting time.

Dozens and dozens of consular officers who didn't work permanently in India were being moved to its various missions in India to help its staff. "We are spending a huge amount of manpower to come up through this wait time," she said.

Stufft added their goal in 2023 was to get to the 120 calendar days wait time for all visa categories.

Record  student visa applications expected 

The US embassy said on February 2 that Indians seeking renewal of American visa submit their applications through dropbox.

According to John Ballard, the consular chief at the US Consulate General in Mumbai, the US embassy and consulates have prepared to receive a record number of visas from Indian students in 2023.

The US embassy adjudicated over 1,25,000 student visas in 2022. "It was the most students that we have ever adjudicated here in India and we expect in 2023, we will have even more Indian students that will be coming into apply for visas," Ballard said.

With PTI inputs