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US Visa appointment wait time reduced by 75%; more streamlined process for work and student visa

Times of India TIMESOFINDIA.COM / TRAVEL NEWS , UNITED STATES / Created : Jan 30, 2024, 16:00 IST

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If reports are to go by, the visa appointment wait time has been slashed by an astounding 75%, clearly, one of the most remarkable feats achieved in terms of visa process. The reports also suggest that this was the result of a str … Read more

If reports are to go by, the visa appointment wait time has been slashed by an astounding 75%, clearly, one of the most remarkable feats achieved in terms of visa process. The reports also suggest that this was the result of a strategic blend of increased staffing, innovative technological solutions, and process enhancements. The average wait time for visitor visa appointments came down from 1,000 days to a much more manageable 250 days across India. Read less

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If reports are to go by, the visa appointment wait time has been slashed by an astounding 75%, clearly, one of the most remarkable feats achieved in terms of visa process. The reports also suggest tha...

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There are only two possible outcomes for complete and executed U.S. visa applications (absent a visa sanction against a country under Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act). The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa. If a visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer must refuse that application. However, in accordance with Department procedures, a consular officer may determine that additional information from sources other than the applicant may help establish an applicant’s eligibility for a visa.  In such cases, refused visa applications warrant further administrative processing.   Upon completion of the case-specific administrative processing, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. Alternatively, the officer may conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa.  When administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the end of the interview. The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date.

What does a visa refusal under section 221(g) mean?

A visa refusal under section  221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) means the applicant did not establish eligibility for a visa to the satisfaction of the consular officer, as is required under U.S. law, specifically section 291 of the INA. When an applicant is refused under 221(g), it means the consular officer determined that the applicant was not eligible for a visa after completing and executing the visa application and any required interview.  It is possible that a consular officer will reconsider a visa application refused under 221(g) at a later date, based on additional information or upon the resolution of administrative processing, and determine that the applicant is eligible.  When a consular officer refuses a case under 221(g), she or he will convey to the applicant whether the applicant is required to provide any further documentation or information, or whether the case requires additional administrative processing.

Can a refusal under section 221(g) be overturned?

Yes.  If an application was refused under section 221(g) and the consular officer specifically told the applicant to provide documents or information, the applicant should provide a complete response as soon as possible. A consular officer will request additional information when she or he believes the information is relevant to establishing that an applicant is eligible for the visa sought. If the consular officer refuses a visa, but requests additional information, an applicant has one year from the date the visa was refused to submit the additional information. Otherwise, if an applicant does not provide the required additional information within one year, the applicant will have to reapply for the visa and pay another application fee.

If an application was refused and a consular officer indicates administrative processing is required, processing times can vary based on individual circumstances.  If an applicant’s situation presents a unique hardship, please inform the consular section where the visa application was made.

About Visa Processing Wait Times – Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

Information about nonimmigrant visa wait times for interviews and visa processing time frames are shown on this website, as well as on U.S. Embassy and Consulate websites worldwide. It should be noted that the “Wait Times for a Nonimmigrant Visa to be Processed” information by country does not include time required for administrative processing. Processing wait time also does not include the time required to return the passport to applicants, by either courier services or the local mail system.

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Remember, apply early! Though visa processing time is typically one week, processing time for specific cases may vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements.

Nonimmigrant visa applicants are encouraged to apply at least three (3) months in advance of the intended date of travel.

All applicants are processed as efficiently as possible and all U.S. Embassies and Consulates strive to keep the wait time for appointments as short as possible. That said, the earlier you book your appointment, the more likely you are to be able to get the date and time you want.

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US Visa Appointment: Everything You Need to Know

Updated: September 8, 2023

One of the essential steps in a US visa application process is the US visa appointment. A visa appointment is mandatory for all foreign nationals applying for a US visa. Visa applicants must appear in person on the day of their appointment for biometrics and visa interviews.

In this article, you will learn everything about US visa appointment, who needs to attend and how to schedule one.

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Understanding US Visa Appointment

A US visa appointment is the second and last step in the US visa application process. There are many unofficial terms for visa appointments. Applicants use these alternatives widely in forums and social media. Here are some of them.

• CGI visa slot
• US visa slot
• CGI federal visa appointment
• AIS visa appointment
• DS 160 appointment

A visa appointment is mandatory for a US visa for two reasons:

• For better applicant screening: An in-person interview helps consular officers to meet and interact with the applicants personally. Officers can read their body language and identify any questionable intentions such as fraud, forgery, etc.
• To secure US borders: Capturing biometrics helps US border officials in knowing who is entering the country.

The visa appointment may or may not include an in-person interview with a consular officer. Those who require an interview must appear in person at a US consulate.

Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment vs Immigrant Visa Appointment

A visa appointment is mandatory for nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. But the prerequisites are different for nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. For nonimmigrant visas, you must complete the DS-160 form prior to scheduling your appointment. For immigrant visas, you must complete the DS-260 form prior to scheduling the appointment and a medical exam prior to the interview.

In this article, we will only discuss visa appointments for nonimmigrant visas such as the B1/B2.

Who are Required to Attend US Visa Appointment?

If you are applying for a US visa, you are required to attend an appointment at the US consulate. The visa appointment typically consists of a biometrics capture and a visa interview with a consular officer.

If you meet certain criteria, you may not need to attend the in-person interview. Let’s look at who is required and not required to attend the US visa interview.

Interview required

If you require a visa to travel to the US, then you would require a visa interview for your visa. As part of your visa application, you must schedule an interview at the US consulate.

Interview waiver

You may be eligible for an interview waiver if you meet the following criteria.

• You are under 14 years or over 79 years of age
• You are renewing your US visa

If you are eligible for an interview waiver can use the dropbox facility at the Visa Application Centers (VAC).

NOTE Even if you are eligible for an interview waiver, you must still schedule an appointment. Scheduling an appointment at the consulate is mandatory for all US visas.

How to Schedule a US Visa Interview Appointment?

Prerequisite: Complete DS-160 Form

Before you schedule US visa appointment , you must first complete and submit the DS-160 form. You would need a DS-160 confirmation number to schedule your visa appointment.

Step 1: Create an Account

The first step is to create an account on the visa appointment system. There are two different systems for scheduling appointments.

• US Travel Docs by CGI Federal: For applicants residing in Asia, Central America, parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East
• AIS by GDIT (also referred to as Yatri): For applicants residing in North and South America, parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East

Depending on your country of residence, create an account on one of the above appointment systems. Then fill out your details, passport information, visa category, visa class and dependents.

Step 2: Pay the MRV Fee

The next step is to pay the MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee. The MRV fee is $185 for a nonimmigrant visa such as the B1/B2.

After the visa fee payment, you will receive an MRV fee receipt number. Once you enter this fee receipt number, you will be taken to the appointment page where you can pick the date and time for your visa interview.

Step 3: Schedule a Biometric or OFC Appointment

US visa interviews in some countries require a separate biometric appointment. This can be at the same US consulate where you will attend your interview or it can be at a facility away from the US consulate called an Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC). Sometimes an OFC is also referred to as a Visa Application Center (VAC).

The biometric appointment at the OFC or VAC must be at least one working day prior to the interview.

Step 4: Schedule Visa Interview Appointment

After you have selected the date and time for your biometric appointment, you will see a calendar of dates available for interviews. Pick a date and time that works for you and complete the process. Print the appointment confirmation as you would need this to attend the interview.

How to Cancel a US Visa Appointment?

You can cancel your visa appointment from your account dashboard in US Travel Docs. You can click on the “Cancel Appointment” button on the left menu bar in your account dashboard. From there, follow the instructions to cancel your appointment.

Keep in mind that you cannot cancel more than two times per MRV fee. If you cancel more than the allowed number of times, you will have to pay the MRV fee again.

How to Reschedule a US Visa Appointment?

You can reschedule your visa appointment from your account dashboard in US Travel Docs. You can click on the “Reschedule Appointment” button on the left menu bar in your account dashboard. An appointment calendar appears on the screen. Pick a new date and time and click on the “Schedule Appointment” button.

Keep in mind that you can only reschedule up to 2 times. Also, you can only reschedule up to 48 hours before your interview.

What Documents Do You Need to Carry for the Appointment?

On the day of your appointment, you must carry the following mandatory documents. Without the mandatory documents, you will not be allowed into the consulate premises.

• Original passport (and any old passports that demonstrate your travel history)
• A print of your appointment confirmation
• A print of your DS-160 confirmation
• Visa fee receipt (if you have paid the visa fee at the local bank)
• Two 2×2 inch photographs (if you haven’t uploaded your picture while filling out DS-160)
• One additional ID (to gain access to the building premises)

Apart from the above mandatory documents, you can also carry supporting documents such as the ones below.

• Your employment, business or student proofs
• Your financial proofs
• Purpose of your trip (conference tickets, travel itinerary or other documents to support your trip)

How to Attend a US Visa Appointment?

The procedure to attend the visa appointment varies from country to country. But following is the general overview of the visa interview procedure.

Step 1: Arrive at the US Embassy or Consulate

You must arrive at the consulate on time. If you arrive early, you will be asked to come back at your appointment time. Standing and waiting near the building is not allowed.

Arrive just 10 minutes before your appointment time and line up in front of the building entrance.

Step 2: Security Check at the Entrance

There will usually be a line of applicants outside the entrance. Join the line and wait for your turn. When your turn comes, present your appointment confirmation to security. Go through the metal detectors and scanners. Deposit your additional ID proof, cell phone and keys.

Step 3: Document Check and Biometric Validation

After the security check at the entrance, walk into the building. Present your documents to the staff at the counter for your document check and fingerprints.

Next up would be your visa interview. The staff will direct you to the widow or consular officer for your visa interview.

Step 4: Visa Interview

Present your documents to the consular officer. Answer all the questions in a clean and concise manner. The visa officer will tell you the result of your visa at the end of the interview. They will also tell you how and when to pick up your passport.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long is a us visa interview appointment.

The length of the visa appointment is usually 30 minutes and the interview itself is about 5-10 minutes. Appointments at crowded US missions such as in India or the Philippines can take longer.

Does US visa dropbox need appointment?

Yes. An appointment is mandatory even if you are eligible for dropbox. You must schedule an appointment to select a date for your biometrics and dropbox location.

What if you are late for the US visa appointment?

If you are late for your visa appointment, you will not be allowed into the consulate. You will be considered a no-show and you will have to reschedule your interview for a later date.

What if you do not show up for the interview?

If you do not show up for your interview, you will be considered a “no-show”. You will be barred from scheduling another interview for up to 120 days.

Do you need a medical exam for a US visa interview?

No. A medical exam is not required for US nonimmigrant visa such as B1/B2. Medical exams may be required for immigrant visas.

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

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How to apply for Emergency US Visa Appointment in India?

US Visa appointment wait times can be really long in India. There may be situations, where you may need to travel to the US urgently and need an expedited appointment. US Consulates provide an option called “Expedited Appointment”, which is also called “Emergency Appointment” (shortly referred to as “EA” by many). If you meet the required criteria, you can request for an expedited or emergency appointment using this option. This article outlines the step-by-step process to request an expedited US Visa appointment in India.

Requirements for Emergency US Visa Appointment

You need to have documentary proof that indicates the need for an expedited visa appointment. US Consulates broadly classify expedited appointment requests under the below four categories listed below. Supporting Documents are listed as well.

• Medical or Health needs : If you need to travel to the US for urgent health-related reasons or accompany someone you can use this option. You need to submit a letter from your doctor in India regarding your condition and why you are going to the US. Also, you need a similar letter from a US Doctor/hospital that they will take you and proof of funds that you can pay for the treatment.
• Attend Funeral or Death : If you have to travel to attend a funeral in the US or go to the US to get the dead body of an immediate family member(parents, siblings, child) to your home country, you can use this option. You need to submit a letter from the US with details of the person dead and funeral info. Also, you need proof that you are an immediate family member.
• Travel for Urgent Business: If you need to travel for urgent business that was not planned before, you can submit proof indicating the urgency of travel from a US company or company in India. It should also include details on the loss, if not traveling. You may also request urgent training as well for up to 3 months. Need a similar letter from US and Indian employers indicating the need for urgency and potential loss, if cannot attend training.
• Students or Exchange Visitors : This is for students and exchange visitors, who have school starting within 60 days and cannot get an appointment. You need to submit either an I-20 copy ( for students) or a DS-2019 copy ( for exchange visitors) that indicates the start date of the program.  You cannot apply for EA if your visa stamping was refused within the last 6 months.
• ESTA Denied Candidates : This is for anyone who qualifies for a Visa Waiver program, but has got a notice saying that they are not eligible to travel to the US using this program.  You need to submit details of the request, the purpose of travel, copy of the CBP message online with the status of the ESTA request.
• In cases like Travel Bans with Executive Orders or Proclamation, you would request an Emergency Appointment based on National Interest Exception(NIE)
• You would find such exceptions or guidance on the US Embassy India website

Not Eligible for Expedited Appointment : US Consulates will not approve expedited appointments for attending graduation ceremonies, weddings, helping families during pregnancy, or attending any conferences or annual business meetings, including last-minute tourism.

Now that you know the requirements, let’s review the step-by-step process.

Step by Step Guide for Emergency Appointment

In general, the process to apply for an expedited or emergency appointment is pretty much the same as applying for a general US Visa Appointment. The only difference is that you are going to expedite it using the provided options like submitting forms or emailing them and going for stamping. You can read How to apply for US Visa to get an idea of the general US visa process.

Step 1 – Complete DS-160

Once you determine your US Non-immigrant visa type , you need to complete the online non-immigrant US Visa application . It is also called form DS-160 online form. This is an extensive form and you need to have all of your information handy related to your Visa category to complete the form. You will use the confirmation number given here for booking an appointment in the next steps.  

Step 2 – Register at USTravelDocs Website, Pay Fee

After you complete the DS-160 form, you will need to register at the USTravelDocs India Website by using the Schedule your appointment option on their page.  It will take you to the CGI Federal India Website which looks like the one below. Click on New User Option as shown below and register for an account.  See the below screenshot of both the pages.

You will need to go through the signup process. After you successfully signup and log in, you will see an option for New Application in the menu. Click on that for creating a new application, you will go through a set of steps and a questionnaire with details of your visa and plan. You will fill out all the details related to visa type, where you want to attend an interview, visa category, class, and personal info. You also need to enter the DS-160 confirmation number from Step 1 here. See the below screenshot for an overview of all steps on the website.

In the end, you will get an option to make a payment like the one below, you can click on Click here for all Payment options and pay the visa fee. If you pay it at the bank, it can take up to 2 days sometimes for activation of receipt. See the below screenshot on how it looks.

Step 3 – Schedule a Regular Visa Appointment

  To be eligible for an expedited US Visa appointment, you need to first have a regular visa appointment already in place. Using the same USTravelDocs portal, after you pay the fee, you will have the option to schedule a visa appointment. Do not worry about the date, it can be anytime (even next year too). Go ahead and schedule for some date. It looks like in the below screenshot.

One important thing is when you select the consulate, it will be the consulate that will be used for an emergency appointment, you cannot change the consulate later. So, be clear on that. If you end up selecting the wrong consulate, then you will not be able to change.

If you are eligible for a dropbox or interview waiver appointment, you would need to follow a slightly different approach. Read How to Change US Visa Dropbox Appointment to Expedited Appointment

Step 4 – Create Emergency Request for Appointment

After you have booked a US Visa appointment, you will see an option on the menu that says, “ Emergency request ”. Once you click on it, you will get a form that you need to fill out with the below details. See the screenshot below to understand how the form looks. 

• Tentative Travel Date : You should fill in the date when you plan to go to the US
• If you are going to the US to join your spouse after the wedding
• If your spouse is in the US and you are getting a visa to join them.
• If your spouse has visa stamping, and you both are going to US as you are exempt from an Executive Order / Proclamation
• Kids Vaccination, Kids Health – You would select ‘Medical Needs’ as the reason if your kids need a vaccination or need to submit vaccination/medical records to the school.
• Urgency to Work: You would select ‘ Urgent Business Travel ‘ as the reason if your employer wants you to be in the US on H1B or L1 as their business is impacted or there is a strong need. In this case, the employer would give you a letter stating the same.
• Brief Explanation of Emergency : You need to enter the reason for your EA request. It does not have to be long, just a few lines that tell why you need the EA for stamping. You should indicate the details of documentary proofs that you are going to attach supporting the EA request.
• Upload Attachments : You need to upload all the supporting documents or letters for your EA like letters from your company or medical letters, marriage certificates, etc. You can upload up to 5 documents.

After you submit the EA request, you will get a confirmation. Most of the time, you see this confirmation only once and after that, you will not be able to see it. So, take a screenshot of the same. See below confirmation screenshot.  Sometimes, you may get an error after submission like “ Error occurred while loading a Visaulforce Page ”. If so, call the customer service

Step 5 – Emergency Request Approval, Email

  Depending on the consulate you have selected and their workload, you will get EA request decision in anywhere from a few hours to 10 days. Sometimes, they take time as they will keep your request in the queue. Sometimes you may get confirmation within a day or even a few hours, so it all depends. On average, it can take up to 2 days.  Below are confirmation emails and alert messages related to the approval of the EA request.  

Also, when you log in, you would see a small message on the top. It looks like in below screenshot. You will also get an email.

Below is the sample approval email that you get for Emergency Request approval. The email will have instructions on how soon you should schedule the slot. Some of them come with a deadline to apply.  

If your EA request is denied, you would get an email indicating the same. See the below sample.

Step 6 – (Optional) Emergency Request Follow-ups, Alternatives  

 If you do not hear back from the US Consulate or USTravelDocs within a week, you can reach out to them for clarification. You can call customer service or email them at their support email: [email protected] . Also, you can write to US consulates, if you need to follow up. Check US Consulate in India Email and Phone Number .  Most of the time, you would get a response.

Below is a sample email that you would get from them saying, they have put your request in the wait list and you need to wait.

Alternative Options : In some cases, when the system was fully locked and not able to use, some of the users directly contacted the US consulate and got expedited requests approved. This is not the most common approach. They always recommend to use the USTravelDocs login and EA request form for tracking.  You can check Experiences of Contacting Consulate for Emergency Appointment .

Tracker for EA Requests : You can check US Visa Emergency Appointment Tracker to understand average processing times based on user-contributed data. You can add your case for community benefit too.

Step 7 – Schedule Emergency Visa Appointment

Once you log in after EA approval, you will be able to schedule your visa appointment. It is just like a normal visa appointment schedule, just that you will have dates open and you need to select in the available dates for you. You will select Biometrics appointment and then Visa Interview appointments.

Step 8 – Attend Biometrics, Visa Interview

The process after getting EA approved is pretty standard, there is no difference. You will need to attend biometrics on the specified date and interview as well. You should carry the documents that you submitted online for EA for a visa interview. Visa Officer may ask for the same documents to verify. If your visa is approved, you will get a US Visa foil stamped on your passport. That’s it. Below are some user experiences with EA appointments, NIE

• 15 National Interest Exception Experiences in India – Sample Letter
• Collection of US Visa Stamping Experiences with NIE, EA & Dropbox
• 20+ H4 Emergency Visa Appointment Experiences in India

Also, you may also join US Visa Stampings India – Telegram Group for getting community help.

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Schengen Visa woes: Long wait for appointment leaves Indian travellers agitated

The long wait for a schengen visa appointment has become a major source of agitation for indians who are eager to explore europe. limited appointment slots have resulted in a lengthy waiting period that affects individual travellers and the tourism industry..

Schengen Visa New "Cascade Rule" for Indian Travellers

Now on April 18, 2024, the European Commission issued specific restrictions regarding the issuance of multiple entry visas to Indian nationals. Compared to the standard rules of the Visa Code that were in force at the time, these regulations are more favourable. The new "cascade" rule for Indian nationals living in India who apply for Schengen (short-stay) visas in India would make it easier for tourists with a history of international travel to acquire multi-year visas, provided that their passport validity allows it. 

This is where the problem begins for many Indian applicants as the first step towards obtaining a Schengen visa is securing an appointment at the respective consulate. Due to the high volume of applications and limited appointment slots, the waiting time for a Schengen visa appointment can range from weeks to months. This long wait has become a major source of frustration and agitation for Indians who are eager to travel to Europe this summer.

Long Appointment Time's Hindrance

According to the Money Control report, a retired couple that travels abroad two or three times a year had intended to visit Greece, but they were upset when only one of them was granted a visa.

The traveller said, "It is funny that my visa got rejected and my wife got the visa. This is an error and an oversight which has cost us close to 6,000 euros. I am 72 years old, a well-travelled HNI (high net worth individual) and have been to around 40-45 countries. The reason for rejection was that my intended stay was not justified. We have provided them with the confirmed hotel booking, and return flight tickets. I have my family here in India, my kids, my house. So, I have no reason to go to their country except for tourism."

The increased demand for Schengen visas has put immense pressure on the consulates, resulting in a limited number of appointment slots available each day. This has led to a backlog of appointments, causing applicants to wait for weeks or even months to secure an appointment. This has become a major source of frustration and disappointment for many Indians who have already made travel plans and booked flights and accommodations.

The long wait for a Schengen visa appointment not only affects individual travellers but also has a significant impact on businesses and the tourism industry. 

Moreover, the tourism industry in Europe also suffers due to the long wait for Schengen visa appointments. Indian tourists contribute significantly to the tourism revenue of European countries, and the delay in obtaining a visa appointment can discourage many from travelling altogether. This not only affects the economy but also hinders cultural exchange and understanding between India and Europe.

ALSO READ: Indian passport holders can get multi-year Schengen visa: How to apply for it?

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