INDIA: The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai has announced that it has eliminated the backlog caused by COVID-19 for immigrant visa interviews. This move is part of the Department of State’s commitment to reducing visa interview wait times across all visa categories, including petition-based immigrant visas.
Before the pandemic, appointment wait times for immigrant visa applicants stood at over two years. However, now applicants whose immigrant petitions are current can schedule their appointments for immigrant visa interviews within the standard time frame. This will facilitate faster reunification of families in the United States.
The U.S. Mission to India remains committed to reducing nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview wait times. With increased staffing in the Embassy and all Consulates around India, they have processed a record number of NIV applications – 900,000 – and will soon surpass one million visas. They continue to implement innovative approaches, including remote processing of interview waiver applications, to better meet the needs of visa applicants, and they regularly open new visa appointments to meet the high demand.
The significant demand in India for visas to travel to the United States and the increase of people-to-people ties reflects the strength and vitality of U.S.-India relations. The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai is the designated center for processing immigrant visas in India.
More information about immigrant visa applications and approval times can be found on Travel.State.Gov under Visa Bulletin. This move by the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai is a positive step towards reducing visa interview wait times and facilitating faster reunification of families in the United States.
