Current U.S. B1/B2 Visa Wait Times in India and Mumbai

(INDIA) — Indian travelers seeking U.S. visitor visas are confronting sharply different appointment delays across the country, with B1/B2 visa wait times ranging from about 1 month in Chennai to nearly 10 months in Mumbai, according to the latest U.S. Department of State data updated February 13, 2026.

Chennai currently offers the quickest path, with an average wait time of 1.5 months and the next available appointment around 1 month. Mumbai has the longest queue, with a 9.5 months average and the next available appointment at about 10 months.

Kolkata stands at about 2.5 months for both average wait time and the next available slot. New Delhi shows 6.5-8 months on average and 8 months for the next appointment, while Hyderabad lists 7.5 months on average and 8 months for the next opening.

Those differences have pushed many applicants to look beyond their home cities. Because applicants can book at any U.S. consulate in India if they can appear in person, Chennai has drawn travelers from northern India seeking faster access.

Record Visa Issuance, But Delays Persist

The uneven wait times come despite a record year for visa issuance. The U.S. Mission in India issued 1.4 million visas in 2025, while adding 300 new local hires and running Saturday shifts to raise capacity.

Even with those changes, pandemic-era backlogs have not fully disappeared. High demand for business travel and tourism has kept pressure on interview slots, especially in Mumbai and New Delhi, the country’s busiest outbound travel hubs.

Mumbai’s heavy traffic has helped keep it at the back of the pack. Chennai, by contrast, has benefited from shorter local lines and what the data described as better slot management, though demand from out-of-state applicants could alter that balance.

How the U.S. Wait-Time Data Works

The State Department’s Global Visa Wait Times portal, refreshed on February 13, 2026, remains the main public snapshot of interview timelines for visitor visas. The portal separates “average wait times,” which reflect recent applicant experience from fee payment to interview, from “next available appointments,” which can change daily as cancellations occur and new slots open.

For travelers with fixed plans, that distinction matters. A long average may not prevent a sooner booking if an earlier appointment appears, but the broad trend still points to long delays in cities such as Mumbai.

Interview Waiver Rules Became Stricter

Applicants renewing visas now face an added hurdle after a policy change last year narrowed eligibility for interview waivers. On September 2, 2025, the State Department ended the broad pandemic-era interview waiver program and brought back mandatory in-person interviews for most applicants.

Before that shift, many renewals qualified if the prior visa had expired within 48 months. Under the tighter rules, exemptions are limited to children under 14 years, applicants over 80 years, and a narrower group of renewal applicants whose same-category visa expired within the last 12 months.

For B1/B2 visa renewals, Dropbox eligibility now requires the previous visa to be in the same category and expired within 12 months. That change narrowed a route many applicants had used to avoid interview lines.

The tightening followed a February 10, 2025, change and caught many applicants off guard before broader notice on February 18, 2025. It also pushed more people back into the regular interview queue, adding pressure to already stretched appointment calendars.

Processing for eligible Dropbox cases still runs much faster, at 3-7 business days at Visa Application Centers. But those cases are limited, and availability remains far stronger in New Delhi than in most other posts for visitor waivers.

A prior visa denial in any category permanently disqualifies an applicant from waivers. Applicants must complete the online eligibility questionnaire on the USVisaScheduling.com portal during DS-160 submission to confirm whether they qualify.

Impact on Travelers, Businesses and Families

That narrowing of waiver access has changed the practical timeline for many repeat travelers. Applicants who once expected a document drop-off now often must compete for interview slots with first-time visitors, families and corporate travelers.

Business travelers are among those most affected because meeting dates and conferences often cannot move. Some companies have responded by routing employees to southern consulates, particularly Chennai, where appointments have opened months sooner than in Mumbai.

Families and tourists face similar pressure during seasonal peaks. Summer demand has added to the backlog in Mumbai and New Delhi, where long waits can disrupt holiday plans or family visits.

Urgent travelers have few alternatives. Emergencies such as medical situations and funerals may qualify for expedited appointments with proof, but those cases are described as rare and require direct contact with the consulate.

Other Visa Categories Move Faster

The contrast with other visa categories is sharp. Student visas in the F/M/J categories and petition-based work visas including H/L/O/P/Q often move in under 3 months nationwide, with some New Delhi student appointments available in weeks.

That gap has made visitor visas one of the slowest-moving parts of the system. It also reflects broader U.S. priorities around education and employment mobility, while tourist and business visitor demand continues to outstrip interview capacity.

Operational changes inside the system have also played a role. Consolidation of waiver processing has put extra pressure on interview slots in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while redirecting some waiver activity to New Delhi.

Indian government data mirrored the same pattern later in 2025. As of November 20, 2025, figures from India’s Ministry of External Affairs showed Delhi at 10 months for B1/B2 and Chennai at 3 months.

What Applicants Can Do

For travelers making plans in 2026, the central lesson is to book early and stay flexible. One fee payment allows unlimited rescheduling without penalty, and daily checks of the scheduling portal can uncover newly released appointments or cancellations.

That has made persistence a practical strategy rather than a minor convenience. Travelers who log in frequently can sometimes cut months from their wait if they move quickly when earlier slots appear.

Applicants willing to travel can gain the biggest advantage. Choosing Chennai or Kolkata instead of waiting in Mumbai may shorten the process by several months, though that means paying for domestic travel and appearing in person outside one’s home city.

Consultants cited in the data said corporate applicants routinely make that calculation. For families, the decision can be harder, especially when interview travel adds to the cost of an already expensive international trip.

Preparation also matters once an appointment is secured. Applicants are advised to assemble itineraries, financial records and evidence of ties to India, because errors or missing documents can slow cases even after a long wait for the interview itself.

Renewal applicants have a separate reason to move quickly. Because Dropbox access now hinges on the prior visa having expired within 12 months, delays can close off the waiver route altogether and force an interview that might take many more months to schedule.

Wait times update monthly and can shift sharply. Mumbai’s queue has remained stubborn even after capacity increases, while Chennai’s shorter line has made it a magnet for applicants flying in for last-minute business travel.

“New appointments are added regularly—check back and reschedule,” the department said.

The State Department has urged applicants to keep checking the system rather than assume an early date is unavailable. That advice carries particular weight in Mumbai, where the posted next appointment remains around 10 months away.

For applicants there, flexibility on city, date and travel plans can make the difference between a near-term interview and waiting most of a year. The result is a patchwork system shaped as much by geography as by demand.

An applicant in Mumbai may face one of the country’s longest waits, while another willing to travel to Chennai can secure an interview in about 1 month. For Indian travelers planning a U.S. holiday, a family visit or a work trip, that gap has turned consulate choice into one of the most important decisions in the process.

In 2026, the B1/B2 visa line in India does not move at one speed; in Mumbai, it can still stretch to nearly 10 months.