Fresh statistics posted on the US State Department’s Global Visa Wait Times portal and analysed by Business Standard on 18 November 2025 show India’s tourist-and-business-visa backlog easing, with Hyderabad offering the shortest average wait at 4.5 months. Mumbai remains the laggard at 11 months, while New Delhi clocks in at 6.5 months .
Though still lengthy, the queue represents progress from May, when Chennai’s wait time peaked at 14 months. Consular officials credit better resource allocation and an increase in interview slots. However, applicants must still attend in-person interviews—fewer are now eligible for waivers under rules tightened in February 2025.
![US B1/B2 Visa Wait Times Ease Slightly—Hyderabad Fastest, Mumbai Slowest]()
For corporates the message is mixed: consult the portal before assigning staff to US projects and, if possible, file through Hyderabad. Mobility teams should advise travellers to monitor the scheduling site for cancellations, which sometimes open earlier interview dates.
Immigration lawyers caution that seasonal surges around summer internships and holiday travel could reverse the gains unless capacity keeps pace. They also remind applicants that ‘average wait’ measures past performance, whereas the ‘next available appointment’ metric is a real-time indicator of what is bookable today.
Though still lengthy, the queue represents progress from May, when Chennai’s wait time peaked at 14 months. Consular officials credit better resource allocation and an increase in interview slots. However, applicants must still attend in-person interviews—fewer are now eligible for waivers under rules tightened in February 2025.
For corporates the message is mixed: consult the portal before assigning staff to US projects and, if possible, file through Hyderabad. Mobility teams should advise travellers to monitor the scheduling site for cancellations, which sometimes open earlier interview dates.
Immigration lawyers caution that seasonal surges around summer internships and holiday travel could reverse the gains unless capacity keeps pace. They also remind applicants that ‘average wait’ measures past performance, whereas the ‘next available appointment’ metric is a real-time indicator of what is bookable today.
