The latest update on the US State Department’s Global Visa Wait Times portal shows that Indian applicants can slash their wait for a tourist or business visa interview by choosing Hyderabad. As of 17 November 2025, the consulate in the Telangana capital lists an average wait of 4.5 months for B1/B2 appointments—half the 11-month queue in Mumbai and significantly shorter than New Delhi (6.5 months), Chennai (5 months) and Kolkata (5.5 months).
The disparity is partly the result of Hyderabad’s expanded consular compound that opened in early-2025 with 54 interview counters, making it the largest US consulate in Asia. By comparison, Mumbai has struggled to clear pandemic-era backlogs while juggling high demand from student and seafarer categories. Consular officials say they have redeployed staff to Hyderabad and introduced Saturday interview slots to “level-load demand across India”, but caution that real-time availability can shift quickly when group appointments or cancellations are processed.
![Hyderabad now offers the shortest US B1/B2 visa interview wait for Indians]()
For Indian corporates that rely on short-notice travel to the United States—especially IT services, pharma and FMCG firms—the data underscore the value of strategic consulate selection. Mobility managers are advising employees to keep profiles ready in the CGI Federal portal and monitor early-morning appointment drops, when the system refreshes. Some companies are even funding same-day flights to Hyderabad for key executives to secure faster slots, citing the opportunity cost of delaying client kick-offs.
The US Embassy continues to prioritise F-1 student and H-1B worker visas, both of which currently enjoy sub-30-day wait times thanks to interview-waiver programmes and surge staffing from Washington. However, business-visitor demand has rebounded to 140 percent of 2019 levels, and officials admit that “winter will remain challenging” until a new batch of vice-consuls arrives in January. Applicants are reminded that paying the MRV fee does not lock an appointment—slots can only be confirmed after the fee receipt is activated, a process that itself may take up to 48 hours.
In the longer term, the State Department plans to pilot remote video interviews for low-risk B1/B2 renewals in India by mid-2026, a move industry groups say could cut queues by another 25 percent. Until then, choosing the right city and staying flexible with travel dates remain the most effective tactics for beating the backlog.
The disparity is partly the result of Hyderabad’s expanded consular compound that opened in early-2025 with 54 interview counters, making it the largest US consulate in Asia. By comparison, Mumbai has struggled to clear pandemic-era backlogs while juggling high demand from student and seafarer categories. Consular officials say they have redeployed staff to Hyderabad and introduced Saturday interview slots to “level-load demand across India”, but caution that real-time availability can shift quickly when group appointments or cancellations are processed.
For Indian corporates that rely on short-notice travel to the United States—especially IT services, pharma and FMCG firms—the data underscore the value of strategic consulate selection. Mobility managers are advising employees to keep profiles ready in the CGI Federal portal and monitor early-morning appointment drops, when the system refreshes. Some companies are even funding same-day flights to Hyderabad for key executives to secure faster slots, citing the opportunity cost of delaying client kick-offs.
The US Embassy continues to prioritise F-1 student and H-1B worker visas, both of which currently enjoy sub-30-day wait times thanks to interview-waiver programmes and surge staffing from Washington. However, business-visitor demand has rebounded to 140 percent of 2019 levels, and officials admit that “winter will remain challenging” until a new batch of vice-consuls arrives in January. Applicants are reminded that paying the MRV fee does not lock an appointment—slots can only be confirmed after the fee receipt is activated, a process that itself may take up to 48 hours.
In the longer term, the State Department plans to pilot remote video interviews for low-risk B1/B2 renewals in India by mid-2026, a move industry groups say could cut queues by another 25 percent. Until then, choosing the right city and staying flexible with travel dates remain the most effective tactics for beating the backlog.
