US visa wait times skyrocket again. This city will make you wait 500 days for an appointment

If you're planning a visit to the U.S. for a vacation or business trip and applying through the U.S. consulate in Calcutta, be prepared for a wait of 499 days.

The U.S. has taken significant steps over the past year to address the soaring visa wait times, resulting in some improvements. Notably, 1.4 million visas were processed for Indian applicants in 2023, an all-time high, and visitor visa appointment wait times were reduced by 75%. However, despite these efforts, the issue of long wait times is back again.

Wait times for B1/B2 visas vary significantly across U.S. consulates in India. As of now, applicants in Kolkata face the longest wait, with a processing time of 499 days, followed closely by Chennai at 486 days. In Mumbai, the wait time is 427 days, while Delhi and Hyderabad have slightly longer waits at 432 and 435 days, respectively.

U.S. Consulate	Wait Time (B1/B2 Visa)
Kolkata	499 days
Mumbai	427 days
New Delhi	432 days
Chennai	486 days
Hyderabad	435 days

Meanwhile, the wait time for Interview Waiver Visitor visas is much shorter. In Delhi, the wait is just 14 days, while in Kolkata, it is slightly shorter at 13 days.

Even if you're applying for a Third Country National visa, the situation remains largely the same, with a wait time of 332 days in Abu Dhabi and 289 calendar days in Dubai.

A Third Country National visa is a visa application or a visa obtained from a U.S. consulate in a country other than your home country.

The B1 visa lets individuals travel to the United States for business purposes, while the B2 visa is designed for tourists, those visiting friends and family, and individuals seeking medical treatment or participating in social events without receiving payment. Typically, these visas are issued together as a B1/B2 visa, enabling the holder to engage in both business and leisure activities during their stay in the US.