Wait Times at Consulates for Visa Interviews
Posted Sep 03, 2004
 ©MurthyDotCom
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has redesigned its Bureau of Consular Affairs Website. Among other changes, the WebSite now includes information on each consular post's average waiting time for nonimmigrant visa interviews. This information can be helpful to those who need to plan their trips abroad. With online appointment scheduling, most people can set appointments before departing the U.S. to avoid delays caused by the need for a personal interview.
 ©MurthyDotCom
The Wait Times section provides useful information. For example, the average wait, as of August 25, 2004, for a person to get a nonimmigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate at Chennai, India, was about 56 days. For Chennai, this waiting time is the same for all nonimmigrant visas. After the visa interview, the WebSite also provides information about the average number of working days it will take each consulate to process the visa. The WebSite is currently indicating that the visas generally are processed on the same day as the interview at Chennai. The wait times at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai are more favorable, with students and exchange visitors experiencing only a 4-day wait, and visitors and all others experiencing a 24-day wait. The U.S. Consulate at Mumbai reports a visa-processing time of one business day after the interview. We applaud the DOS for providing this valuable information.