Good News For Travellers, US Opens More B1 & B2 Visa Slots In These 3 Indian Cities

The demand for United States visas has surged this year as the pandemic has come to an end. As a result, the waiting time has also increased. Considering this, new slots for B1 and B2 visa interview waivers have been opened. The US Embassy in India notified all those who are eligible. They have chosen three cities in India to open additional B1 and B2 visa slots.

More B1 and B2 Visa Slots

The US Embassy in India announced that it has opened additional B1 and B2 visa slots in Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai. The Embassy notified us about this on its official Twitter handle. People who are temporarily visiting the United States for business (B-1), pleasure (B-2), or medical treatment are eligible for the B-1/B-2 visitor visa.

The Embassy also urged people to book their slots now for their near future travel plans. The current wait times for US Visa interview waiver appointments are 233 days in Delhi, 297 days in Mumbai, and 171 days in Chennai. The wait time for first-time applicants has reached almost three years. All people who are renewing their visas within 48 days of expiration are eligible for the interview waiver program.

Looking for a B1/B2 interview waiver (dropbox) visa appointment? Good news! We’ve opened a number of B1/B2 interview waiver appointments for the coming month in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Book now in time for holiday travel.

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) November 28, 2022

Also Read: Thailand Changes Visa Rules. Here’s What This Means For Indian Travellers

Regulating The Backlog

As of this month, the average wait period for a B1/B2 interview appointment for a tourist visa is less than two months. More applicants have been made eligible for the interview waiver visa, considering the growing backlog. For this, they are hiring temporary staffers and sending the drop box cases abroad for adjudication.

The United States anticipates that processing times will improve more quickly than expected. In the fiscal year 2023, it expects the processing to reach pre-pandemic levels.