Waiting period of several months for appointment at US embassy for visa interview: Govt

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The "predicted waiting period" for availing a visa interview appointment as of November 20 at the US Embassy here for business or tourist visas stood at 10 months, according to data shared by the government in Parliament on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the US Administration has recently announced that every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether it is a fact that the US visa application process for Indian travellers shows varying waiting times, from a few months in Hyderabad to several months in Mumbai.

In his response, he shared a tabulated category-wise and embassy or consulate-wise data on waiting period for US visas, across different categories of visas.

The US State Department website provides category-wise and Embassy/Consulate-wise waiting period for US visas, he said.

As of November 20, the predicted waiting period for availing an interview appointment at the US Embassy in India for B1/B2 (business or tourist visas) category stands at "10 months", while for F, M and J visas the corresponding figure for the US Embassy is "0.5 months", according to the data shared.

The F category visa is for students, while the M category visa is for vocational or non-academic, J for exchange visitor, H for speciality occupations, L for intracompany transfer, P category visa for athletes or artists or entertainers, O for extraordinary ability and Q for cultural exchange, the note attached to the tabulated data says.

As of November 20, the predicted waiting period for availing an interview appointment at the US consulates in India for the B1/B2 (business or tourist visas) category are -- Kolkata (5 months), Mumbai (9.5 months), Hyderabad (5 months) and Chennai (3 months).

For F, M and J visas, the corresponding figures for the US consulates are -- Kolkata (2.5 months), Mumbai (3 months), Hyderabad (2.5 months) and Chennai (2 months).

For H, L, O, P and Q category visas, the predicted waiting period for availing an interview appointment at the US Embassy and the US Consulate at Kolkata is not available. The corresponding figures for other consulates are -- Mumbai (1 month), Hyderabad (2 months) and Chennai (1 month).

Singh said the US Administration has recently announced that "every visa adjudication is a national security decision".

"The US will ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and US national interests, and that all applicants will need to credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission," the MoS said.

The US has also clarified that a US visa is a privilege, not a right.

"As part of the follow up measures, the US Administration (through notifications dated June 18 and December 3 respectively) has expanded screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States. This is applicable for student and exchange visitor applicants the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications, as well as H-1B applicants and their dependents (H4 visa applicants), further impacting visa appointment schedules," he said.

Visa issuance and the related policy and procedural frameworks are the sovereign prerogative of the concerned country, Singh said.

The government of India "remains engaged" with the US government to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks that allow for streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals, as well as facilitating short-term tourist and business travel, he added. PTI KND KSS KSS