US visa wait times for Indians drop sharply – Students and travellers rejoice

US visa wait times for Indian applicants have dropped sharply across major cities, offering quicker appointments for student and tourist categories. The reduction brings major relief to travellers, students and businesses.

The wait times for US visas in India are showing signs of going down, according to the recent data update by the U.S. Department of State. Indians looking to travel to the U.S. for educational and business purposes have had to bear with long wait times for visa appointment and there has been no significant drop in the wait times since earlier this year. Many visa applicants had to either give up on their admissions, jobs and planned travel or simply put on hold the plans and wait indefinitely for visa appointment openings.

As of the first week of December 2025, F-1 (student), M and J (exchange visitor) visa appointment backlogs, as well as business and tourist visas (B-1/B-2) wait times have significantly decreased. Appointment backlog for F, M, and J visas has been reduced to nearly 4 weeks in New Delhi from a little over 2 months in October-November. Wait times for B-1/B-2 visas have also eased up to some extent in major cities.

In Chennai and Kolkata, appointment backlog for B-1/B-2 visas has shown a significant decline. Chennai now has a status of “N/A”, which means a decline in wait times. Kolkata on the other hand has an average wait time of 4.5 months for B-1/B-2 visas, as against a high of 6-7 months in October-November. Mumbai on the other hand continues to show longer wait times, though in a marked decline when compared to previous months. Average wait times for B-1/B-2 visas are now at 9.5 months in Mumbai and 3 months for student/interview-required visas.

There is no new data yet on appointment backlogs for non-immigrant H1B and L1 visas (work) from India for October and November 2025. Current wait times for H-1B and L-1 (work) visas at New Delhi are listed as 31.5 and 35.5 weeks, respectively. Mumbai has 24 weeks for both.

“Wait times are now at the lowest level in months, and backlogs have eased at US consulates across major Indian cities,” explains one US visa processing expert. Experts have attributed the decline in wait times and appointment backlog to a variety of factors including lower backlog, more appointment slots, better resource allocation, and smooth processing at the US consulates in India.

A key point to note, as officials have reminded many times is that the “average wait time” listed by the US Department of State refers to the typical number of weeks between visa-fee payment and scheduled interview appointment during the previous calendar month. Actual wait can be shorter (earlier appointment dates), depending on when new slots become available which applicants can see through regularly checking appointment slots.

The wait time for interviews at US embassies and consulates is updated regularly. To check the current wait times, you can visit the US Department of State website or the India Specific site. You may also call the US consulates for additional information about visa interview slots and requirements.