US experiencing delay in visa and passport processing globally

WASHINGTON: The US is experiencing a worldwide delay in processing of visa and passports at its overseas missions, including India, due to technical difficulties.

"The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with our overseas passport and visa systems," an official statement said.

This issue is not specific to any particular country, citizenship document, or visa category, the State Department noted.

"We apologise for the inconvenience and are working urgently to correct the problem and restore full operability," it said.

This issue is affecting US operations at its missions in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Passport applications accepted overseas or after May 26, 2015 are affected by this delay, the statement said.