Fresh US State Department data compiled on 7 December shows that applicants in Abu Dhabi now face an average 14.4-month wait for a B-1/B-2 interview—the longest anywhere in the Gulf and among the worst worldwide. By comparison, Dubai’s wait time is under ten months, while Calgary tops the overall chart at 24 months.
Consular analysts attribute the bottleneck in Abu Dhabi to the mission’s dual role handling immigrant visa cases for several regional posts, diverting staffing from non-immigrant windows. The surge in UAE tourist-visa demand since pandemic restrictions eased has only exacerbated the strain.
![Abu Dhabi tops global list for longest US tourist-visa waits at 14 months]()
For UAE-based multinationals the delay presents a significant hurdle to short-notice client meetings in the United States. Mobility teams are urged to book slots as soon as assignments are contemplated and to consider interview-waiver renewals where eligible. Companies should also budget for multiple trips to the consulate, as security and biometrics appointments may be separated.
Travel-risk insurers warn that executives may pivot meetings to neutral hubs such as London or Istanbul, potentially denting trade. The US Embassy recommends applicants monitor the portal daily for earlier openings freed by cancellations, but acknowledges that relief is unlikely before additional consular staff arrive in mid-2026.
Consular analysts attribute the bottleneck in Abu Dhabi to the mission’s dual role handling immigrant visa cases for several regional posts, diverting staffing from non-immigrant windows. The surge in UAE tourist-visa demand since pandemic restrictions eased has only exacerbated the strain.
For UAE-based multinationals the delay presents a significant hurdle to short-notice client meetings in the United States. Mobility teams are urged to book slots as soon as assignments are contemplated and to consider interview-waiver renewals where eligible. Companies should also budget for multiple trips to the consulate, as security and biometrics appointments may be separated.
Travel-risk insurers warn that executives may pivot meetings to neutral hubs such as London or Istanbul, potentially denting trade. The US Embassy recommends applicants monitor the portal daily for earlier openings freed by cancellations, but acknowledges that relief is unlikely before additional consular staff arrive in mid-2026.
