# US visitor visa delays in India

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-visitor-visa-delays-in-india
> Updated: 2026-09-29T03:21:21.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Indian applicants for U.S. B-1/B-2 visitor visas for business or tourism are experiencing significant delays in securing interview appointments. Current data shows wait times varying by location, with Hyderabad reporting delays of up to 12 months, Mumbai at 11.5 months, and New Delhi at 10 months. In contrast, student and exchange visa applicants face much shorter queues.

A federal audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the average wait for a U.S. visitor visa interview in India during fiscal year 2025 was 346 days. This is more than eight times the pre-pandemic average of 42 days. The GAO attributed these delays to high demand outstripping consular staffing, noting that approximately 1.45 million nonimmigrant visa applications were processed by only 68 consular officers in fiscal 2025. These wait times in India are significantly higher than those in other major markets such as China and Brazil.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: US visitor visa interview waits in India averaged 346 days in 2025

A GAO audit found that Indian applicants waited an average of 346 days for a U.S. visitor visa interview in fiscal 2025, driven by high demand and limited consular staffing.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-visitor-visa-interview-waits-in-india-averaged-346-days-in-2025

### 2026-09-27: US visitor visa wait times in India reach up to 12 months

Indian travelers seeking US B-1/B-2 visitor visas face appointment waits of up to 12 months in Hyderabad, significantly longer than the wait times for student and exchange visas.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-visitor-visa-wait-times-in-india-reach-up-to-12-months

---
Cite as: US visitor visa delays in India. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-visitor-visa-delays-in-india