How long does it take to get a visa appointment?
Visa Processing Time. Although visa processing time is typically three working days, processing time for specific cases may vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements. Current Appointment Wait Time in Abuja Current Appointment Wait Time in Lagos Current Appointment Availability Schedule an Appointment
How to schedule USA nonimmigrant visa appointment?
To schedule a nonimmigrant visa appointment, you must have the following information and documents available: A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions. If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application;
When is the best time to apply for an US visa?
However, whether your case is an emergency or regular appointment, the earlier you book your appointment, the better. The US embassies recommend that applicants book their US visa appointment date days before their intended travel date . This will allow the embassy or consulate to have enough time to process the visa.
How do I reschedule my US visa appointment?
Rescheduling an immigrant visa appointment. To reschedule a US immigrant visa appointment, you must contact the NVC and explain your reasons for wanting to reschedule. You must provide your case number or application number and let them know of a time that is convenient for you so they can try to get you that appointment.
When can I schedule my U.S. visa appointment?
Applicants for U.S. visas are required to appear in person for an appointment at the Visa Application Center (VAC) and the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You must schedule the VAC appointment at least one day before the interview appointment date.
What is the best time to book a visa appointment?
We strongly recommend that applicants begin the application process approximately three months before the scheduled travel date, as appointments are usually filled 1-2 months in advance. Besides, visa applications are now subject to a higher degree of scrutiny than in the past.
Why are there no U.S. visa appointments available?
Due to reduced staffing and numerous pandemic-related disruptions to our operations since March 2020, appointment demand is high across all visa categories and wait times may be lengthy for most routine nonimmigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and ...
Are visa appointments open?
As restrictions start to ease, most U.S. embassies and consulates have resumed certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments.
How can I get U.S. visa appointment sooner?
For such travel, please schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance. For expedited interview request, you should first login to your profiles on www.ustraveldocs.com/th and schedule the earliest available appointment shown on the calendar, even if it is for a date after your travel need.
How do visa agents get slots?
Agents collect user credentials to book a visa slot. As soon as the visa slots are available, they book them and book for their other clients.
How many times we can log into U.S. visa appointment?
As per them, in India, using the MRV Fee receipt (Visa fee receipt), you can schedule visa appointment for 5 times.
What is the current wait time for US visa appointment?
As per the US Department of State travel Travel.State.Gov website, the appointment for visitor visa in the US consulate at New Delhi is 582 calendar days and 471 days for student visas.
How long wait for visa interview appointment 2021?
How long does it take to get an appointment? Although NVC strives to schedule appointments within three months of NVC's acceptance of all requested documentation, this timeframe is subject to the operating status and capacity of the consular section.
How many times can we check visa appointment in a day?
As per them, in India, using the MRV Fee receipt (Visa fee receipt), you can schedule visa appointment for 5 times. This 5 times, include the initial appointment scheduling. What it means is that you can re-schedule or change the appointment for 4 times after your initial appointment.
How long does a non-immigrant visa last?
Some documents you will need for nonimmigrant US visa application are your passport, which must have at least six months validity beyond the period you intend staying in the US, the receipt for your visa application fee, and your DS-160 confirmation page.
What to do when filling out a travel form?
When filling the forms, ensure that all necessary information and documents are provided. You may also need to answer questions regarding your travel itinerary. If you have embarked on an international trip before, either to the US or other country (s), you may be asked to provide dates of some of your past trips.
When to book an appointment for a US visa?
The US embassies recommend that applicants book their US visa appointment date days before their intended travel date. This will allow the embassy or consulate to have enough time to process the visa.
Is a visa payment mandatory?
Keep in mind that the payment is compulsory . Without it, your application can as well be considered nonexistent. Cost of visa application varies, depending on the visa type you are applying for and your country of origin. The embassy will show you what is required in your own case.
Who initiates the visa application process?
If you are an immigrant applicant, your application process will be initiated by your sponsor who is based in the US. Once the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved your sponsor’s petition to sponsor your visa, then the following processes will be continued by you right from your home country.
What does U visa mean?
If the Visa Bulletin shows “U” in a category, this means that immigrant visas are temporarily unavailable to all applicants in that particular preference category and/or country of chargeability.
What is the form I-485?
We will accept Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, from family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment of status preference applicants according to the monthly Visa Bulletin that DOS publishes as a guide for issuing visas at U.S. Consulates and Embassies.
What is the DOS visa bulletin?
DOS, working with the Department of Homeland Security, revises the Visa Bulletin each month to estimate immigrant visa availability for prospective adjustment of status applicants. If DOS makes any changes to either chart in the Visa Bulletin after publishing it, we will review those changes and determine if any further action is necessary. Check the latest dates for filing adjustment of status applications .
What is the Immigration and Nationality Act?
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets the number of immigrant visas the U.S. Department of State (DOS) can issue to aliens seeking to become lawful permanent residents (get a Green Card) each year. Immigrant visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are unlimited, so they are always available.
What is visa retrogression?
Sometimes, a priority date that is current one month will not be current the next month, or the cut-off date will move backward to an earlier date. This is called visa retrogression, which occurs when more people apply for a visa in a particular category than there are visas available for that month. Visa retrogression generally occurs when the annual limit for a category or country has been exhausted or is expected to run out soon. When the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, a new supply of visa numbers becomes available. Usually, but not always, the new supply returns the cut-off dates to where they were before retrogression.
When is a visa available?
A visa is available to you when your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date shown for your preference category and country of chargeability in the applicable chart in the Visa Bulletin, as described above in the Acceptance of Adjustment of Status Applications section.
What is priority date for I-130?
For family-sponsored immigrants, the priority date is the date that the Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, or in certain instances the Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow (er), or Special Immigrant, is properly filed with USCIS.
How to use this step-by-step guide?
There are two websites for scheduling US visa appointments. Which website to use depends on the country where you plan to schedule your visa appointment
PART 1: Schedule US visa appointment in Asia, Central America, parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East
Determine the country where you plan to schedule your US visa appointment. If the country is in the below list, continue with instructions here from PART 1. If not GO TO PART 2.
PART 2: Schedule US visa appointment in North and South America, parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East
Determine the country where you plan to schedule your US visa appointment. If the country is in the below list, continue with instructions here in PART 2. If not, GO BACK TO PART 1.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If need to travel to the US urgently, you may qualify for an expedited US visa appointment. Keep in mind that you must have a strong reason and must be able to provide documentary evidence to prove it.
CONCLUSION
That’s it, folks! Follow this step-by-step guide to schedule US visa appointment. If you have any questions or stuck at any step, feel free to comment here or email me.
Are You Eligible For An Expedited U.S. Visa Interview Appointment?
Every non-immigrant visa applicant has to first submit the online visa application Form DS-160, pay the application fee, and schedule the interview appointment by seeking the first available appointment. With most U.S. consulates in India temporarily closed, the wait times are pretty lengthy.
What happens if a non-immigrant visa is refused?
If the visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer will refuse issuing a U.S non-immigrant visa. In certain cases, the consular officer may give another chance to evaluate the visa application. This is called Administrative Processing.
When will travel restrictions be lifted in 2021?
The White House announced that they will lift all travel restrictions for over 32 countries on November 8 , 2021. This would mean that fully vaccinated visitors holding a valid visa will be allowed to enter the USA.
Can you expedite a visa interview?
Can you expedite your chances of getting a visa interview appointment? Under certain circumstances, U.S. consulates may expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation like a death of an immediate family member, personal medical emergency, or that of an immediate family member or in the case of international students, school start date.
When will India open its borders?
With international travel resuming, several countries are opening up their borders to welcome visitors. Beginning October 15, 2021 , India has begun issuing visitor visas to those boarding chartered flights and for those boarding regular flights from November 15, 2021.
Can you expedite an interview date?
Under certain circumstances, U.S. consulates may expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation like a death of an immediate family member, personal medical emergency, or that of an immediate family member or in the case of international students, school start date.
How long is the drop box valid?
They changed the dropbox eligibility criteria to 48 months from expiry, instead of 12 months. This was originally valid until March 31, 2021. On March 11th, 2021, they extended this until Dec 31, 2021 and changed the eligibility from 24 months to 48 months from expiry.
How long is the NIE valid?
NIE Validity 12 months : US Dept of State issued guidance indicating that NIE would be valid for 12 months from the date it was issued and it is valid for multiple entries as well. This is effective from July 6, 2021 and it will apply retroactively to previously issued NIE with old 30 days rule. Check more at Travel to US on NIE – 12 months Rule
When will the NIE expire in 2021?
This is effective from July 6th, 2021 . Also, this will apply to previously issued NIE exceptions by the consulate as well. The same was confirmed by US Embassy in India as well.
When will the MRV fee be extended?
MRV Fee Payment Validity Status : US Consulates in India have extended the MRV fee ( Visa Appointment Booking Fee) payment validity until September 30th, 2023 (extended in Nov 2021 by an year) to make sure all applicants get time to schedule visa appointment. It is updated on the US Embassy and USTravelDocs India Website.
When will the US Embassy in India extend the visa fee?
US Embassy in India has extened the Visa Appointment Fee (MRV Fee) validity by an year to September 30, 2023 . If you were not able to book an appointment since the consulates have been closed due to COVID, you are in good shape as you have until Sep 2023 to book an appointment. See screenshot below
When will the US see more appointments in India?
We will see more appointment slots from Jan 2022 to May 2022 as per new guidance by head of US Consulates in India. Check Guidance by US Head of Consulates in India for appointments
Is there a change in the US consulate visa?
Even though the travel ban is lifted, there is no change in the US Consulates visa appointments situation. Only limited appointments for Dropbox and some regular appointments. No Dropbox slots open for B1/B2 Appointments yet.
