The US Congress has now announced that it will allocate $50 million to the US State Department to decrease visitor visa interview times.
Visitor visa interview wait times currently average 400 days in key source markets.
US Congress Allocates $50 Million To Reduce Interview Visa Times
Tori Emerson Barnes, EVP of Public Affairs and Policy at the US Travel Association, announces the funding. As per Barnes, “US Travel applauds Congress for directing funding to address excessive visitor visa interview wait times, which currently average 400 days in top source markets. The State Department must now deploy these resources as quickly as possible to lower wait times and facilitate growth in inbound visitation.”
She also stated, “Further, US Travel urges Congress to consider other critical measures like the Visa Processing Improvement Act (S.2632) to modernize the entire visa process, particularly as the U.S. prepares for a decade of major international events.”
US Travel supports immediate actions such as the Visa Processing Improvement Act (S. 2632). The group stresses how critical it is to update the entire visa application procedure.
US Travel Requested Officials To Shorten Visa Application Process Before FIFA
Prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, US Travel was requesting officials to shorten the visa application process. Wait times for visas are a source of concern for soccer fans hoping to attend the World Cup.
The Louisiana Travel Association’s Evan Ryburn, Director of External Affairs, draws attention to the problem. For Colombian applicants seeking a visa, the average wait time is approximately 725 days.
The US Bureau of Consular Affairs pledges to cut wait times, particularly in nations with strong demand.
By 2024, it is hoped that over 90% of foreign postings will have visitor visa wait times of less than 90 days. Worldwide, more than 10.4 million visas were issued by 230 US embassies and consulates last year.
Out of those, 5,939,797 were visas for visitors, of which 5.9 million were B1/B2 visas. Furthermore, 8,085 B2 visas and 29,286 B1 visas were issued.
Funds have been allocated with the goal of expediting the visa application process and easing travel to the US.
