Hyderabad: Despite numerous initiatives, the US visa appointment wait times at the Hyderabad Consulate still hover around nearly one year.
While the US embassy in New Delhi and consulates in various Indian cities are actively taking steps to reduce visa appointment wait times, the delays persist at an unusually high level.
Appointment wait times for US visas at Hyderabad consulate
The wait time for US visitor visas at the consulate is as high as 351 calendar days. This prolonged wait also applies to both temporary workers and interview waiver visitor visas.
The following indicates the appointment wait times at the US Consulate.
| Visa type | Appointment wait time (in calendar days) |
| Interview Required Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q) | 53 |
| Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2) | 351 |
| Interview Waiver Visitors (B1/B2) | 50 |
US Embassy in India issued 90 thousand student visas this summer
The US embassy in New Delhi and consulates in Hyderabad and other Indian cities set a record by issuing 90,000 student visas this summer (July-August). Almost one in four student visas issued worldwide during this period was granted in India.
Recently, United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti mentioned that the appointment wait time for first-time tourist visa interviews has been reduced by more than 50 percent.
In spite of various initiatives between India and the US to streamline the visa process, the appointment wait times at the Hyderabad Consulate still linger around one year.
