(INDIA) — Hyderabad and Mumbai now show 9.5-month average wait times for U.S. Tourist Visa interviews, the longest B1/B2 Delays among American diplomatic posts in India, according to U.S. Department of State data last updated on June 18, 2026.

Mumbai’s next available B1/B2 appointment stretches even further, to 10 months. Applicants in both cities may wait close to a year just to reach the interview stage, with the visa decision itself coming only afterward.

The delays affect tourists, parents visiting children in the United States, relatives attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, and business visitors planning meetings or short professional engagements. Student and petition-based work visa applicants continue to face shorter waits at several Indian posts.

Wait Times Vary Across Indian Consular Posts

The State Department’s Global Visa Wait Times page shows B1/B2 interview-required appointment waits varying sharply across India’s five consular posts. Hyderabad and Mumbai top the list at 9.5 months each.

New Delhi stands at 7.5 months, with a next available appointment at 8.5 months. Chennai records 5.5 months, and Kolkata shows the shortest wait at 4 months.

Chennai’s next available appointment figure was not listed in the data. Kolkata’s next available appointment matches its average at 4 months. Hyderabad’s next available appointment aligns with its average at 9.5 months.

Impact on Travelers and Family Visits

B1/B2 visas cover temporary business visits, tourism, family visits, medical treatment, conferences, and similar short-term non-work purposes. They do not permit employment in the United States.

Hyderabad and Mumbai stand out because both posts report identical 9.5-month average waits for interview-required B1/B2 visas. Mumbai’s next available appointment pushes to 10 months, meaning applicants there could wait longer than anywhere else in the country.

Many Indian parents apply for B1/B2 visas to visit children working or studying in the United States. Some plan trips around graduation ceremonies, weddings, childbirth-related visits, or other personal milestones. These applicants may discover that ordinary personal or family travel does not automatically qualify for an emergency appointment.

Some cases may also require additional administrative processing after the interview, extending the timeline further. The State Department generally treats expedited appointments as limited exceptions reserved for urgent and unforeseen circumstances such as serious medical emergencies, funerals, or urgent school start dates.

Routine tourism, standard business travel, weddings, graduation ceremonies, and last-minute trips usually do not qualify for a no-fee emergency appointment.

Shorter Waits for Student and Work Visas

The long waits do not extend evenly across all visa categories. State Department data shows much shorter appointment timelines for student and petition-based work visa applicants at several Indian posts.

Hyderabad reports 1.5 months for F, M, and J student or exchange visitor visa appointments. Mumbai also shows 1.5 months for the same category. New Delhi records 2 months.

Petition-based temporary work visas, including H, L, O, P, and Q categories, show similarly shorter waits. Mumbai lists 1.5 months, New Delhi lists 2 months, and Hyderabad lists 3.5 months.

The current concern centers mainly on B1/B2 visitor visas. Students heading to U.S. universities and workers with employer-sponsored petitions may still find comparatively faster appointment windows depending on the post and category.

Understanding Published Wait Times

Applicants should not treat the published wait time as a guaranteed appointment date. The State Department explains that average wait times reflect how long applicants typically waited for interviews in the previous month. The “next available appointment” column predicts when an appointment may become available at that location.

These numbers can change. U.S. embassies and consulates regularly release additional appointment slots, and applicants who have already booked may be able to move to an earlier date if new openings appear.

At the same time, availability will not necessarily improve on its own. Visa demand, staffing levels, local capacity, and seasonal travel patterns all affect wait times. Global Visa Wait Times figures shift month to month based on these variables.

Interview Waiver and Renewal Options

Some visa applicants may qualify for interview waiver processing depending on their visa history, category, and local post instructions. The published wait-time table does not reflect interview waiver appointment timelines, which operate on a separate track.

Renewal applicants offer one example. A person renewing a prior U.S. visa may not face the same process as a first-time applicant if they meet the criteria for an interview waiver under applicable rules. Eligibility is not automatic, and applicants should check instructions on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website and the official appointment system before assuming they can use the waiver route.

Practical Advice for Applicants

Applicants who have already scheduled a visa interview can check the appointment system regularly for earlier openings. When additional slots are released, rescheduling to an earlier date may be possible.

Avoid buying non-refundable tickets or making fixed travel plans before obtaining a visa. The gap between booking an appointment and receiving a visa can stretch weeks or months beyond the interview date, particularly if administrative processing is required.

New Paid Expedited Appointment Pilot

A separate development may affect some B1/B2 applicants starting this week. The State Department has introduced a temporary paid expedited appointment pilot for B1/B2 business and tourism visa applicants at selected posts.

Under the temporary rule, effective July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, eligible applicants at selected posts may pay an additional $750 fee to secure an expedited interview appointment within 10 business days, subject to availability.

This fee comes on top of the regular nonimmigrant visa application fee. The pilot is optional and limited in scope. Paying the $750 does not guarantee visa approval, nor does it fast-track the actual visa decision, security checks, or administrative processing after the interview.

Applicants should check whether the post where they are applying is included in the pilot. The availability of paid expedited appointments depends on which posts the State Department selects and how many expedited slots each releases.

Strategic Steps for Indian Applicants

Indian applicants planning U.S. travel should take a practical approach. Checking the latest appointment wait time before making travel plans is the first step, as visa wait times are updated monthly and may shift.

Filing the DS-160 carefully matters. Mistakes in the application can delay scheduling or create problems at the interview stage. After submitting the form, paying the visa fee and scheduling the first available appointment as early as possible gives applicants the widest window to find earlier slots.

Continuing to monitor the appointment portal can pay off. New slots may appear when embassies and consulates release additional capacity or other applicants reschedule. Relying on unofficial agents or claims of guaranteed early slots carries risk, as U.S. visa appointments should be managed only through the official system.

A visa appointment represents just one part of the process. The consular officer will still decide whether the applicant qualifies for the visa under U.S. immigration law, regardless of how long the wait took or whether an expedited fee was paid.

Applicants may also check appointment availability at different posts within India, though they should follow the official appointment system rules. Availability can change, and applicants should ensure they can attend the interview at the selected location.

Outlook and Considerations

Visa wait times across India’s consular posts have fluctuated in recent years as demand rebounded from pandemic-era lows. The current figures place Hyderabad and Mumbai at the top of the wait-time ladder, with Kolkata offering the shortest path to an interview at 4 months.

Whether the $750 expedited pilot, launching July 1, will relieve pressure at the most backlogged posts remains to be seen. The State Department has not indicated which posts will participate or how many expedited slots each will offer.

Indian families planning travel for holidays, weddings, graduations, or medical visits in late 2026 or early 2027 now face a calculation: book early, check the portal frequently, and weigh whether the paid expedited option, if available at their post, justifies the additional cost.