US opens priority visa interview slots in Kolkata for parents visiting children in America

The US Consulate in Kolkata has introduced priority B1/B2 visa appointment slots for parents aged 50 years and above who want to visit their children living legally in the United States. The move aims to reduce waiting time for eligible applicants and is currently available only at the Kolkata consulate.

In a statement posted on X, the consulate said, “Parents 50 years of age and over visiting children residing legally in the U.S. now benefit from priority appointment slots at Consulate Kolkata. We’re helping with shorter wait times for qualified travelers with established ties and verified purposes.”

The announcement is part of what the consulate described as “America First in Family Values.” The initiative is expected to help older parents secure interview appointments faster amid long waiting periods for US visitor visas in India.

New visa categories visible for Kolkata applicants

According to a TOI report, applicants selecting Kolkata as their interview location are seeing new appointment categories under the B1/B2 visa process. These include parents visiting children with legal status in the US, business professionals, general tourism applicants, and applicants with recent visa refusals.

The B1/B2 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued to people travelling to the US temporarily for business, tourism, or both purposes.

The Kolkata consulate has also announced a separate visa scheduling system for verified business travellers to support trade and investment links between India and the US.