Individuals seeking US non-immigrant visas are now mandated to schedule their interviews within their country of citizenship or legal residence, with exceptions only where the US does not regularly conduct visa operations. This policy change effectively bars Indian citizens from circumventing lengthy appointment wait times in India by applying for B1 (business) or B2 (tourist) visas in other countries, a practice utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic when wait times in India stretched to three years.
Non-immigrant visas encompass a range of categories, including those for tourists, business travelers, students, temporary workers, and individuals intending to marry US citizens. The US State Department has confirmed the global application of this rule, effective immediately. Current B1/B2 visa interview wait times in India are approximately 3.5 months in Hyderabad and Mumbai, 4.5 months in Delhi, 5 months in Kolkata, and 9 months in Chennai.