Heflin said, “We issued over 82,000 visas this summer. There are more Indian students heading to the US than any other part of the world.” Addressing the issue of delay in processing visa applications and high wait time, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the US Embassy, Don Heflin, conducted a Q&A session on Thursday via Facebook live. He attributed the delays to a staff shortage at embassies that is being worked upon and said that it will likely be resolved by next year. “We will be able to go back to 100% staffing by this time next year,” said Heflin.
Student visa
Heflin said, “We issued over 82,000 visas this summer. There are more Indian students heading to the US than any other part of the world.” As for the student visa applications, interviews will be conducted from mid-November till end of December. The first half of the appointment slots will open in mid-October and the rest in mid-November. Slots for the F and M visas (for non-citizens willing to pursue academic and vocational courses in the States) will be available soon. However, those for J visa (non-immigrant visas for individuals to participate in exchange programs) will be available in small numbers every week, separately.
Work visa
“There are people in the United States on an H or L visa who haven’t been able to come back home to visit families since Covid started; we sympathise with them,” Heflin said. He said 100,000 appointment slots for 2023 will be available in the coming weeks with a special focus on the first-time applicants and drop box cases.
Tourist visa
The B1 and B2 visas, typically issued for short business trips, family visits and tourism have the highest waiting time. Measures such as appointment of temporary vice-consuls from other embassies, expansion of drop boxes and their movement elsewhere are being taken to reduce it.
Regarding the validity of the application fee paid earlier, Heflin said that people will have to book a slot sometime next year and the fee will be adjusted therein. The appointment does not necessarily have to be for the next year and can be preponed if more slots come up later.
As for the expedition requests, he said there are several hundreds every week and a strict criterion is in place. Typically, cases of funeral or hospitalisation of immediate family and crucial business are given preference.