By the summer of 2023, there will be a significant reduction in the waiting time for US visas.
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Normalcy from next year
India is America’s top priority for issuance of visas.
By the middle of 2023, Washington hopes to once again resume operations as it were before the pandemic.
Every month, approximately one lakh visas are expected to be issued.
No of visas to be issued increased
Over 82,000 visas were awarded in the last one year.
In fact, India was one of the few nations where applications for US visas increased significantly after Covid travel restrictions ended.
A senior official of the US embassy said, “We are looking at 1.1 to 1.2 million visas to Indians by next summer.”
Drop box facility
The US is also launching a number of efforts, including adding more staff and expanding the “drop box” facilities in light of the lengthy wait times for visa approval.
The drop box facility is the method utilized to renew a US visa without having to go through the interview.
So, those who have applied for a US visa within the last four years are eligible for the drop-box service.
Decreased wait time
The wait time for some categories have already decreased from 450 days to about nine months.
In terms of the number of visas awarded by the US, India is expected to jump from third to second place.
It is currently behind Mexico and China.
Student visas in priority
However, the official reassured that priority was also being given to reducing the wait times for student visas, particularly for those seeking visa renewals.
Formerly (H1B) and L category visas for Indians were prioritized by the US, and recently about one million slots became available for them.
Moreover, the wait time of roughly 9 months for B1, B2 (business and tourist) visas is being reduced.
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