US Visa Wait Time India: Visa interview wait times remain long for Indian travellers who are planning trips to the United States, but the latest available numbers show a clear frontrunner in terms of quicker appointments. According to the latest updates available from the US Department of State's Global Visa Wait Times portal, the Hyderabad Consulate recorded the shortest B1/B2 visa interview wait time in India currently, at 4.5 months.
In contrast, the applications filed through the Mumbai Consulate are taking the longest time, with the wait times as long as 11 months. This indeed makes it the slowest among all US missions in the country.
Sharp Differences Across Cities
The latest figures reflect sharp contrasts:
Average Wait Time
• Hyderabad: 4.5 months
• Chennai: 5 months
• Kolkata: 5.5 months
• New Delhi: 6.5 months
• Mumbai: 11 months
Next Available Appointment
• Hyderabad: 4.5 months
• Chennai: 5 months
• Kolkata: 5.5 months
• New Delhi: 11 months
• Mumbai: 11 months
The average wait time shows how long applicants waited between paying the visa fee and appearing for an interview, reflecting the trends in the past month. In contrast, the next available appointment is the earliest date available to book at that moment. This figure gives applicants an idea of typical delays based on past trends, reflecting how busy a consulate has been recently. However, it is not updated in real time and may not accurately reflect the current situation if demand suddenly changes.
That is, the average wait time comes from history, while the next available appointment conveys present availability. Both are useful in planning, but the next available appointment most immediately conveys how long an applicant might wait from today.
India Still Faces Longest Visa Delays
India still features among the countries with the longest queues for US tourist visa interviews, despite the gradual improvements over the last few months.
This has actually been a reduction; delays were much worse earlier in the year. For example, in May of 2025, delays in Chennai stood at almost 14 months, with Mumbai and New Delhi coming in at 9.5 months and 8 months, respectively. Hyderabad and Kolkata were a bit quicker at 7 months and 6 months, respectively. By July 2025, waiting times showed measurable improvement as the US expanded interview capacity, with Chennai falling to about 8.5 months, New Delhi falling to 4.5 months, and both Mumbai and Hyderabad going down to about 3 months.
While major metros continue to see renewed backlog pressure, the current numbers suggest Hyderabad remains an outlier with comparatively faster processing.
What Applicants Should Know
Officials advise travellers to:
• Check current visa wait times on the official visa information website before selecting your consulate.
• Book in advance because during seasonal travel, queues tend to get longer.
• Check the scheduling system regularly, as earlier slots will appear due to cancellations.
• Consider applying in Hyderabad, if possible, since it tends to show faster turnarounds.
The Department of State further reaffirms that these timelines concern only applicants who are not eligible for interview waivers. Thus, with increasing travel demand between India and the US, applicants may plan months in advance to avoid last-minute disruptions.
US visa wait time India