There is good news for Indian nonimmigrant US visa applicants! Starting from 1st January 2025; the US Embassy in India will implement new rules for scheduling and rescheduling nonimmigrant visa appointments for Indians. The advantage is you don’t need to pay any fees to reschedule your nonimmigrant visa appointments.
The US Embassy in India said, “To make sure everyone has a fair chance at getting a visa interview appointment and to reduce wait times, we’re making some changes.”
However, if you miss the rescheduled appointment or require a second reschedule then you need to book a new appointment and repay the application fee.
What Are The Current Challenges with Visa Wait Times?
Wait times for US visa appointments generally remain time-consuming for Indian applicants despite efforts to cut the delays.
You can take a look at waiting periods for applicants seeking B1 or B2 visitor visas across consulates in different states.
- Chennai – 479 Days
- Delhi – 441 Days
- Mumbai – 438 Days
- Kolkata – 436 Days
- Hyderabad – 429 Days
The situation is relatively better for applicants seeking an Interview Waiver Visitor visa. The wait time is 21 days in Delhi and it is 2 days in Kolkata.
The Third Country Nationals or individuals seeking US visas from consulates outside their home country, the wait times are also lengthier, with 388 days in Abu Dhabi and 351 days in Dubai.
What Will Change in 2025?
Last November, the US federal government announced its plan to expand visa appointment slots by one million in 2025.
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “We will add an additional one million visa appointments in the financial year 2025. That’s on top of the record number of appointments we had this past year.”
Here, you need to remember that the application fee for a US B1 or B2 visa for Indian citizens is $185 which is equivalent to ₹15,540.