If you're a B1/B2 visa applicant trying to book a U.S. visa appointment, you've probably noticed that the wait times can be staggering—stretching anywhere from a few weeks to, in some cases, well over two years. The exact timeline depends heavily on where you're applying from and the type of visa you need. For popular visitor visas, the delays have become especially frustrating for applicants from countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, due to a perfect storm of post-pandemic backlogs, soaring demand, and stretched consular resources.
Why Is Your US Visa Wait Time So Long
Staring at a visa appointment date that's months, or even years, into the future? You're definitely not alone. The path to securing a U.S. visa interview, particularly for B1/B2 tourism or business travel, has become a real test of patience for applicants all over the world.
Think of it like a massive traffic jam on the highway to the United States. There are simply far more cars (that's you, the applicant) than there are open lanes (interview slots). This isn't just bad luck; it’s the outcome of several key factors converging at once to create a serious bottleneck. Getting a handle on these issues is the first step to figuring out how to navigate the system.
The Perfect Storm of Delays
Let's break down the main culprits behind these long waits. A quick look at the main reasons B1/B2 visa appointment waits are so extended.
| Factor | How It Impacts Your Wait |
|---|---|
| Massive Post-Pandemic Backlog | When consulates shut down or scaled back during the pandemic, applications piled up. They are still digging out from that mountain of paperwork. |
| Ongoing Staffing Limitations | Many U.S. embassies and consulates are still not back to their pre-2020 staffing levels, meaning fewer people are available to conduct interviews. |
| Unprecedented Global Demand | With travel roaring back, the desire to visit the U.S. for tourism, business, or family is at an all-time high, adding even more applications to the queue. |
These three issues have pushed the U.S. consular system to its limits, creating a tough situation for applicants, especially those in high-demand countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.
The bottom line is simple: supply (available appointments) just can't keep up with demand (the number of visa applicants). To make matters worse, visitor visas are often the lowest priority, pushed behind student and work visas, which stretches out the wait even further.
This imbalance is obvious when you look at the numbers. The current visa wait time trends show a huge difference from one consulate to another. For example, in New Delhi, someone applying for a visitor visa might be looking at a wait of around 230 days, while a student or work visa applicant could get an appointment in under 20 days.
A Look Back at Visa Wait Time Trends
It's easy to feel discouraged looking at today's exceptionally long appointment waiting time us visa, but it helps to zoom out and see the bigger picture. This isn't the first time we've seen major backlogs, and it certainly won't be the last. The U.S. visa system has always had its own rhythm, with wait times swelling and shrinking based on everything from global events and policy changes to the government's own priorities.
Looking at these past cycles gives us some much-needed perspective. The current bottleneck is a direct result of the post-pandemic travel surge, but history shows us that the system can and does adapt. Prolonged waits have happened before, and they've been fixed before.
Past Initiatives That Slashed Wait Times
Think back to the early 2010s. Global travel was booming, and visa interview wait times were starting to climb, often hitting the two-month mark. This wasn't just an inconvenience for tourists; it was becoming a real roadblock for international business.
The U.S. government took notice. In a decisive move, they issued Executive Order 13597, which was a massive push to boost processing capacity. The goal was ambitious: get 80% of nonimmigrant visa applicants interviewed within three weeks. And it worked. Within just six months, average wait times dropped dramatically. It's a powerful example of how direct action can unclog the system, and you can explore the full impact of this policy shift to see the data for yourself.
More Recent Policy Adjustments
Lately, the U.S. Department of State has been leaning on other strategies to keep things moving. One of the most important tools in their kit is the interview waiver program, which many people know as the "dropbox" option.
This program is a game-changer for eligible applicants, especially those simply renewing a visa in the same category. It allows them to skip the in-person interview altogether and just submit their documents.
By allowing frequent, low-risk travelers to bypass the interview, consulates can free up precious appointment slots for first-time applicants. This helps alleviate pressure on the system, though its effectiveness varies based on changing eligibility rules and demand.
These programs show a constant effort to find that sweet spot between tight security and efficient processing. Yes, today's backlogs are severe, but this history matters. It proves that the current lengthy appointment waiting time us visa isn't a permanent fixture. It's a specific challenge born from unique circumstances, and one that has been tackled before.
How to Check for Available Visa Appointments
Trying to find an open U.S. visa appointment can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. If you’ve been through this process before, you might remember a time when you could check a public tool for general wait times. Those days are gone, and the change has left many B1/B2 applicants confused.
Things really shifted in early 2025 when the U.S. Department of State took down its Global Visa Wait Times tool. That tool used to give a rough monthly average of what to expect, but its removal has left applicants flying blind. Without that official data, it's become nearly impossible to accurately predict the appointment waiting time us visa. You can learn more about these reporting changes and see how they’re affecting applicants.
This new reality means there's only one way to get the real story on appointment availability, and it requires a bit more legwork.
The CGI Federal Portal: Your Only Source of Truth
The only place to see actual, bookable appointment dates is inside your personal CGI Federal portal. This is the official website where you manage your application and, most importantly, schedule your interview. Once you've paid the MRV fee, the portal finally unlocks the scheduling calendar for your specific consulate.
What you see on that calendar is the real deal—the most accurate, up-to-the-minute information there is. Forget about secret backdoors or alternative websites; this portal is it.
The key takeaway is this: any general wait time estimates you find online are just that—estimates. The live calendar inside your CGI Federal account is the only place to find and book a real appointment slot.
This situation has forced applicants into a frustrating but necessary routine: checking the portal over and over again. New slots from cancellations or freshly released blocks can pop up at any time, so the go-to strategy has become logging in repeatedly and just hoping to get lucky. It’s not just tedious; it’s a massive waste of time.
The Manual Checking Dilemma
While manual checking is the default approach, it's a flawed system. At high-demand consulates in countries like Mexico, Brazil, or Colombia, openings can disappear in the blink of an eye—literally seconds. You could spend all day refreshing the page only to miss a slot because someone else clicked faster.
This is the fundamental problem every applicant is up against. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of how to snag one of these elusive spots, take a look at our guide on U.S. visa appointment booking for more detailed strategies. Understanding the system is the first step to beating the "refresh and pray" method.
Proven Ways to Get an Earlier Visa Appointment
Okay, so you understand why the waits are so long. That's the bad news. The good news is you don't have to just sit there and stare at the calendar. Facing a long appointment waiting time us visa feels frustrating, but you're not stuck. There are a handful of real, proven strategies that can help you jump the queue.
Think of it less like waiting in line and more like actively searching for an open door. These tactics range from old-fashioned persistence to using smart technology. The right approach for you really depends on how urgent your travel is and your personal circumstances. Let's break down the options.
The "Reschedule and Refresh" Grind
This is the classic, do-it-yourself method. It's exactly what it sounds like: logging into the CGI Federal portal over and over again, hoping to catch a newly opened slot. And I mean over and over—sometimes dozens of times a day.
These golden tickets pop up for two reasons: someone else cancels their appointment, or the consulate releases a fresh block of interview times. Since there's no schedule for when this happens, it's a game of luck and timing. Some people swear by checking late at night or super early in the morning (local time for the consulate), thinking there's less competition. It can work, but a good slot can literally disappear in the time it takes you to click, which makes this method a serious grind.
Applying as a Third Country National (TCN)
If the wait time in your home country is measured in years, not months, it might be time for a change of scenery. Applying from another country as a Third Country National (TCN) is a savvy workaround. For instance, an Indian citizen facing an 800-day wait in their home country might find an appointment in just a couple of months by applying from a country with shorter queues, like Thailand or Vietnam, while residing in Canada.
Before you book a flight, you have to do your homework:
Check if the consulate takes TCNs: Not all of them do, so verify this on their official website first.
Make sure you can enter the country: You'll need the proper visa or entry permit for the country where you plan to interview.
Have a good reason: Be ready to explain to the consular officer why you're not applying from your home country. "The wait time was too long" is a valid reason, but you should be able to articulate it clearly.
Requesting an Emergency Expedited Appointment
This is the "break glass in case of emergency" option. It’s strictly for genuine, unforeseen crises, not for catching a music festival or starting a job a bit earlier.
An expedited appointment is reserved for things like needing urgent medical care in the U.S., attending the funeral of an immediate family member, or dealing with an unexpected, critical business need. You have to book a regular appointment first, then submit a separate request with strong proof to back up your claim.
Using an Automated Monitoring Service
If the manual refresh method sounds like a nightmare, this is the modern solution. Instead of being glued to your screen, you can use an automated service that does the hard work for you.
Think of a tool like Vast Fisa as your personal robot assistant, constantly watching the appointment portal. It scans 24/7 for openings that fit your criteria in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and many others. When one pops up, you get an instant alert so you can grab it, or some services can even reschedule it for you automatically.
It takes the luck out of the equation and gives you a huge speed advantage. To get a better sense of how this works, take a look at our detailed guide on visa slot booking techniques.
So, should you try to find a slot yourself or let a tool do the heavy lifting? Here's a quick comparison.
Manual Checking vs. Automated Monitoring
| Approach | Time Investment | Success Rate | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Checking | Very High | Low to Medium (Luck-based) | Applicants with lots of free time and a non-urgent travel timeline. |
| Automated Monitoring | Very Low | High | Applicants with urgent needs or who value their time and want an edge. |
Ultimately, manually refreshing is a game of chance, while automated monitoring is a strategy. Both can work, but one clearly respects your time and sanity more than the other.
How Wait Times Vary Between US Consulates
Let’s be clear: not all U.S. consulates are the same when it comes to appointment waiting time us visa. Where you apply can be the difference between getting an appointment this year or waiting until 2026. This isn't random—it's a direct result of local demand, the number of consular officers on staff, and what types of visas they're told to prioritize.
Understanding this from the get-go is a huge advantage. Someone applying for a B1/B2 visitor visa in Bogotá, Colombia, is staring down a potential two-year wait. It's a classic case of overwhelming demand at a single, swamped consulate. At the same time, an applicant in Madrid, Spain, might snag a spot in just a few months.
This massive difference is why many applicants start looking at applying as a Third Country National (TCN). For them, the cost of a flight to a nearby country with shorter lines is a no-brainer compared to putting their plans on hold for two years.
The Priority Puzzle
So, why are the waits for visitor visas so much longer? It all comes down to the consular priority system. Visitor visas, like the B1/B2, are officially at the bottom of the list. Consulates are instructed to first clear applications for students (F-1), temporary workers (H-1B, L-1), and other categories deemed more urgent.
When a consulate gets busy, those limited interview slots go to the higher-priority applicants first. This pushes B1/B2 appointments further and further down the calendar, creating the bottleneck we see in places like Mexico City, São Paulo, and Mumbai. If you're applying for a visitor visa, you have to accept this reality to plan effectively.
The core issue is a simple imbalance. When a consulate has 100 available slots but receives 1,000 applications, with 800 being for visitor visas, the math is unforgiving. Higher-priority visas will always get first pick of the limited resources.
This is where the strategy of how you look for an appointment becomes critical. The infographic below shows the stark difference between trying to refresh the portal yourself all day versus letting a tool handle the heavy lifting.
As you can see, checking manually is a huge time sink with a pretty low chance of success. Automation completely flips that, giving you a high probability of success for almost no personal effort. By knowing which consulates have shorter waits and why they do, you can start making much smarter moves.
Common Questions About US Visa Wait Times
Trying to make sense of the U.S. visa process often feels like you're left with more questions than answers, especially when it comes to those unpredictable wait times. Let's tackle some of the most common questions we hear from B1/B2 applicants to help you get a clearer picture.
Can I Book A US Visa Appointment In A Different Country?
Yes, you can, and it's a perfectly valid strategy. This is known as applying as a Third Country National (TCN), and it's become a go-to solution for people stuck with massive delays in their home country. Many applicants find success by traveling to a neighboring country where the appointment waiting time us visa is much shorter.
But before you jump on a plane, you need to do your homework. There are a few key things to check:
Consulate Policy: First and foremost, head to the official website of the consulate you're considering. You need to confirm they actually accept TCN applications for B1/B2 visas because not all of them do.
Travel Logistics: Don't forget to budget for the flight and hotel, and make sure you can legally enter that country—you might need a separate visa just for your trip there.
Justification: Be ready to explain your decision. The consular officer will likely ask why you're applying outside your home country, so have a clear and honest answer prepared.
How Often Do New Visa Appointment Slots Open Up?
This is the million-dollar question, and the frustrating answer is: there's no set schedule. New appointment slots pop up completely at random.
They typically become available in two ways. The first is when an individual applicant cancels or reschedules, freeing up their single slot. The second is when a consulate decides to release a brand new block of interview dates. Both of these events are totally unpredictable.
This is exactly why hitting "refresh" all day on the booking portal feels so hopeless. A single canceled spot can be snatched up in seconds. Larger blocks of appointments are released far less often, and when they are, it's a mad dash to grab one.
The hard truth is that new slots can appear at any time, day or night. Without a way to monitor the system constantly, your chances of snagging an opening are pretty low, especially at busy consulates in places like Brazil, Mexico, or Colombia.
This is the main reason why so many applicants now rely on automated services to watch the portal for them.
What Qualifies For An Expedited US Visa Appointment?
Expedited appointments are strictly for real, unforeseeable emergencies. Think of them as a last resort, not a way to skip the line for a vacation, a friend's wedding, or a conference you've known about for months.
You might qualify for an expedited appointment for situations like:
An urgent medical need in the U.S. for yourself or an immediate family member.
The funeral of a close relative (like a parent, sibling, or child).
A critical business matter that just came up and couldn't have been planned for.
To even request an expedite, you first have to book the earliest regular appointment you can find. After that, you can submit a formal request, but you'll need to provide solid, verifiable proof to back up your emergency claim.
Does Paying The Visa Fee Guarantee An Appointment?
No, unfortunately, it doesn't. Paying the MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee is a required step that makes you eligible to book an interview, but it's not a ticket to a guaranteed spot. For a closer look at this process, check out our guide on how to reschedule a U.S. visa appointment.
Your fee payment is valid for one year. It’s up to you to find and book an appointment within that 365-day period. If your fee receipt expires before you've secured a slot, you will have to pay the full amount all over again.
Tired of the endless cycle of refreshing the appointment portal? Vast Fisa automates the entire process for you. Our service monitors for earlier dates 24/7 and can even reschedule your appointment automatically, securing a spot before anyone else can. Stop waiting and start planning your trip. Check out Vast Fisa today.