US Visitor Visa Wait Time For Indians Reaches Nearly One Year

People applying from India for a US visitor visa faced an average wait of 346 days to get an interview during the 2025 fiscal year, according to a recent report from the US Government Accountability Office. This duration marks a sharp rise to more than eight times the 42-day average recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Workload And Staffing

The GAO report indicates that severe delays stem largely from consular staffing failing to match application numbers. Across India, just 68 consular officers managed nonimmigrant visas in fiscal 2025 while processing 1,455,255 applications, creating an individual load of 21,401 applications per officer. Compared to China, India received a higher volume of submissions while operating with 51 fewer officials, resulting in each Indian officer handling roughly double the workload of a counterpart in China.

Global Findings

Worldwide, the average wait required to secure a visitor visa interview jumped from 26 days in fiscal 2019 to 201 days by fiscal 2025. Total global processing actually surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with the State Department handling 11.7 million visitor visas in fiscal 2025 compared to 9.2 million in fiscal 2019. However, total staff numbers dropped from 1,342 personnel in fiscal 2024 down to 904 personnel in fiscal 2025 due to hiring freezes and staff departures.

Context

Official reviews noted that applying for a visitor visa is viewed by some individuals in India as a social status marker rather than a genuine travel plan, adding verification time for officials. The GAO recommended that the State Department regularly evaluate staffing placements worldwide to better match personnel with local demand, though the agency neither accepted nor rejected the recommendation.