Heading to the US soon? Apply for your visa in these cities to get it the quickest

The US Department of State has updated its global visa appointment wait time estimates, with changes effective from April 25, 2025. These updates provide both the average wait time for interviews in the previous month and the estimated time until the next available visitor visa appointment.

Non-immigrant visa applicants—including those applying for B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism), or B-1/B-2 combination visas—must schedule and attend an in-person interview unless eligible for an interview waiver. The interview wait times vary by location and depend on factors such as consulate staffing and workload.

As per the State Department, "We now provide additional information on the average time non-immigrant visa applicants waited for an interview in the previous month. We also continue to provide the estimated wait time until the next available interview appointment for visitor visas."


The US Embassy in India and its consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad regularly release new appointment slots.

City	Interview Required (B1/B2) Average Wait Times	Interview Required (B1/B2) Next Available Appointment	Interview Required (F,M,J) Next Available Appointment	Interview Required (Petition-Based H,L,O,P,Q) Next Available Appointment	Interview Required (Crew and Transit C,D,C1/D) Next Available Appointment
Chennai	11.5 months	13.5 months	1.5 months	2 months	1.5 months
Hyderabad	7.5 months	7.5 months	2 months	2.5 months	NA
Kolkata	8 months	8 months	2 months	NA	NA
Mumbai	7.5 months	9.5 months	3 months	NA	2 months
New Delhi	9 months	9 months	2 months	NA	2.5 months

Applicants who have already scheduled an interview are encouraged to check the system frequently for any earlier dates that may become available.

The department clarified that the average wait times shown are based on how long applicants waited between fee payment and interview date last month. These figures are intended as general guidance and do not guarantee a specific timeline for any individual case. The embassy statement added that new appointments are added regularly, so people will get the appointments sooner. Once they schedule their interview, they can check the appointment scheduling system and move to an earlier appointment if a slot becomes available.

Wait time estimates are updated monthly and calculated in 30-day and 15-day increments, including weekends and holidays. Interview waivers, when granted, follow separate timelines not reflected in the wait time chart.

Applicants are reminded that while rescheduling is possible, visa eligibility is determined based on the applicant’s ties to their home country and supporting documentation. Interviewing officers assess each case individually and may refuse a visa if they find insufficient evidence of strong ties to India.