Washington, September 29 (Daily Kiran) : A recent audit has revealed that Indian applicants endured the longest wait for U.S. visitor visas last year, averaging 346 days for an interview. This report, released on Monday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), highlights significant delays in the visa process.
According to the audit, during the fiscal year 2025, the demand for U.S. visitor visas in India surged beyond the capacity of the embassy staff. The 346-day wait reflects the average time to secure an interview date, not the duration for visa decision-making post-interview.
In 2025, approximately 1,455,255 applicants sought non-immigrant visas from India, with only 68 consular officers available nationwide. This translates to an overwhelming average of 21,401 applications per officer. The lengthy wait specifically pertains to visitor visa interviews.
In comparison to other major countries, India’s situation is notably worse. Applicants in China faced an average wait of just 34 days for visitor visa interviews, while those in Brazil waited 32 days. Mexico, with a comparable number of applications per officer, reported a wait time of 283 days.
The audit team visited several cities, including New Delhi, Mexico City, Beijing, and São Paulo. U.S. officials in India and Mexico cited a post-pandemic surge in demand coupled with a shortage of staff as the primary reasons for the backlog.
Space constraints at the New Delhi embassy also contribute to the delays. The audit noted that there were insufficient interview windows to meet demand, with hundreds of applicants waiting outside the embassy and in other areas. Despite plans to relocate to a new building, no increase in interview windows is expected.
The report also mentioned the time taken for processing some applications and the role of paid visa agents. These agents often book available slots quickly and resell them to clients. In response, the State Department has modified its scheduling system to combat this issue.
To alleviate the crowding, the department has implemented additional measures. In fiscal year 2024, a unit in Washington resolved 80.6 percent of visitor visa cases from New Delhi remotely, eliminating the need for interviews in those instances. Moreover, staff in New Delhi worked extra Saturdays to expedite visa applications.
The findings underscore the urgent need for improvements in the visa processing system to better accommodate the high demand from Indian applicants.
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