India had been suffering under a second wave of the Covid-19 virus. As a result of increasing infection rates and Covid deaths, the U.S. Consulates and Embassy in India have temporarily closed all operations. Regular visa appointments were not being issued either.
Are US visa appointments in India cancelled?
All US Visa appointments in India cancelled at US Embassy in Delhi and all consulates in India until further notice. See below screenshot of news. There is no estimated date when they will resume the Visa stamping appointments in India. Consulates are only providing emergency appointment services for US Citizens.
Why are US visa applicants hesitating to travel to India?
This has come when there are scores of eligible visa applicants hesitating to travel to India for a lack of available appointments. New appointment slots will be available by Spring 2022. The Coronavirus pandemic led lockdowns, shortage of staff and global travel restrictions have impacted the visa processing across all US consulates abroad.
When will US consulate open for appointments in India?
When will US Consulate Open for Appointments in India ? US Consulates in India will open for F, M and Certain J visa holders from August 17th, 2020. They are not open for other regular visa appointments yet. There is no estimated date, when it will be fully open for regular visa operations.
When we will see more appointment slots for Visa Stamping 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 The lifting of travel ban to US does not mean that you can get appointment to get visa stamping.
Are visa appointments open in India?
More F1 visa appointment slots are open as the focus is on Spring 2022 students. All US consulates in India continue to operate in limited fashion with limited number of appointments. Regular operations are not yet open.
Are visa appointments Cancelled in India?
U.S. Embassy in India cancels appointments, global consular services remain unpredictable. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi announced Friday that it would cancel in-person visa appointments and interview-waiver appointments from April 26 to May 9, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in India.
Why are there no appointments for U.S. visa?
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 U.S. tourist visa appointments open in India?
"We are resuming routine in-person tourist visa appointments in September 2022. Previously, scheduled placeholders have now been cancelled. Applicants whose placeholder appointments were cancelled may now re-enter the scheduling system to book regular appointments," the US embassy said in a statement.
Are visa slots open for fall 2022?
Earlier in May, the Embassy opened its first batch of interview slots for dates in June and the first half of July 2022, as the Times of India reported.
Why did US Embassy cancel visa appointments in India?
All U.S. Embassy New Delhi's in-person π―π’π¬π ππ©π©π¨π’π§ππ¦ππ§ππ¬ ππ§π π’π§πππ«π―π’ππ°-π°ππ’π―ππ« ππ©π©π¨π’π§ππ¦ππ§ππ¬ ππ«π πππ§πππ₯π₯ππ ππ«π¨π¦ ππ©π«π’π₯ ππ β πππ² π in light of current pandemic conditions. We will make every attempt to honor scheduled emergency appointments.
What is the best time to book U.S. visa appointment in India?
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.
Are B1 B2 visa appointments open in India?
The US Embassy announced on Sunday that it was resuming tourist and visitor B1-B2 visa appointments in India from September after the rush for student visas ended.
How can I check visa slots availability?
Check US Visa Slots. This checkvisaslots.com's extension will provide access to check & share the US visa slots availability. Summary: checkvisaslots.com is a collaborative screenshot sharing platform to check the US visa slots availability at US Consulates/Embassy in India.
Is U.S. giving tourist visa now?
U.S. Embassy Manila has resumed all routine visa services. Wait times for interviews are longer than before the pandemic, except for immediate relatives. For nonimmigrant visas, the embassy is prioritizing applicants with urgent travel needs.
How can I book U.S. visa slots in India?
Contact UsE-mail: [email protected]. This is the fastest and best way to reach us. We read every email and strive to reply within 3 working days. Occasionally, complicated requests can take longer.Telephone: (91-120) 4844644, (91-22) 62011000 and 1-703-520-2239 (for all calls from the United States)
Are US visa appointments Cancelled?
The U.S. Mission to India is pleased to announce that we are resuming routine in-person tourist visa appointments in September 2022. Previously scheduled placeholders have now been cancelled.
Is US Embassy accepting visa application in India?
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are opening appointments across all visacategories, but with limited availability based on local conditions and operational capacity. You may apply for a visa interview at whichever location is most convenient and where you are able to find appointment availability.
Can I apply for US visa now?
Please note: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates in March 2020. The process to resume routine visa services began in February 2021.
How many times can I reschedule my US visa appointment in India?
You can reschedule your appointment (for a future date only) and up to a maximum of two times. If you are late or have missed your appointment on the scheduled day, the system will not allow you to reschedule or cancel, and you will be required to book a new appointment after 24 hours.
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
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
Is the US visa stamping cancelled in 2021?
Due to the Presidential proclamation on April 30, 2021, that imposes a travel ban to the US from India, US Consulates and Embassy in India have canceled all US Visa stamping regular visa stamping appointments until further notice. There is no estimated date when they will lift the travel ban. Currently they are only serving cases that fall under NIE or part of exemptions in proclamation.
Can I apply for NIE in the US?
Apply NIE while in US : You cannot apply for NIE when you are physically present in the US. You need to be in India and then only apply for NIE. Check US Consulate Chennai Guidance β Can you apply for NIE, while in US for full details.
Do I need a new visa if I already have one?
You do not need a new US Visa, if you are already in US. As long as you have your I-797 approval valid and I-94 valid, you are fine. All you need to do is maintain Status. Read US Visa vs. Status Difference
Has the B1 appointment changed?
No Changes to the B1/B2 Appointments. This was one of the most frequently asked question and US consulate did not give any information on this. See below screenshot and check Top 10 FAQs of week on US Embassy Website
Do you need to have a WHO approved shot?
You need to have full vaccination done with WHO Approved or FDA approved vaccines.
Stranded In India
While pandemic travel bans were lifted by November 2022, many Indian nationals are still in a limbo. They are unable travel back to the US to their jobs and to their families separated in the US. H1-B, L1 and their dependent visas H4 and L2 visa appointments are hard to get. Visa renewals and Dropbox appointments were reduced to a bare minimum.
Dropbox Appointment
Certain non-immigrant visas like H1-B can be renewed after the first three years of being issued. For certain renewal applicants, the passport can be stamped without having to attend an in-person visa interview.
New Dropbox Visa Appointment Slots Available
The US State Department announcement read β βIn the coming days, the US Embassy and Consulates in India will release more than 20,000 additional interview waiver (drop box) appointments for Spring 2022 to allow qualified applicants to make use of the new interview waiver authority.β
Perfect Solution? Maybe Not
The dropbox option allows for certain visa renewals to go through without an interview. This means, the applicant, if eligible may submit an application and all required documents into a βDropboxβ and expect the renewal to be approved and mailed to his residence.
Better Solution
An alternate option would be to offer visa processing avenues in the United States itself. This would eliminate the need for visa stampers to go abroad to get their visa renewed.
