US Consulates and the US Embassy in India give one of the highest numbers of US Visa stamping appointments globally due to the sheer number of applicants from India. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been delays and a shortage of US Visa appointments in India. The US Department of State, and the US Embassy in India continue to give news alerts, and updates on their website, Twitter, Emails, etc. on how they are handling US Visa appointments in India and the current operation status of their services across US consulates and Embassy in India.
On this page, we track all the updates from official and unofficial sources, including users’ feedback and experiences. It is divided into sections with a summary, and timeline for easy review. We continue to update this page, you may bookmark this page.
Summary of all Updates from US Consulates in India as of July 24th, 2023
Below is a short summary of all the latest updates from the US Consulates and Embassy in India that are relevant as of now and up-to-date as of July 24th, 2023. You can check the timeline section below for additional details with links to the official sources
- US TravelDocs Update: (updated)Temporary Disruption to the US Visa Appointment booking site from July 26th to July 28th, 2023. Cannot book appointments, no customer service calls, no fee payments during these days. Services resume on July 29th, 2023. See more details in the timeline section.
- US Embassy said they had processed over 600,000 US Visa applications in India as of June 12th, 2023. Their goal is to process 1 million US visa applications in 2023.
- There is no requirement to be vaccinated, if you are traveling to the US. The vaccination requirement ended on May 11th, 2023. Check US Dept of State Update
- When to contact for Dropbox, 221g Cases: US Embassy, and Consulates say to wait for 21 days for pending Dropbox cases, before you can contact them for any update. For 221g cases, they say to wait for 60 days. If you email them before, you will not get any response from them.
- F1 Visa Stamping Slots for Fall 2023:
- US Embassy has opened a second batch of visa appointment slots for Fall 2023 on June 18th for mid-July and mid-August 2023 appointments. In the first batch, they opened thousands of appointments and they were all filled.
- F1 Visa Appointments for first-time refused applicants for Fall 2023: They said they would open slots for previously refused applicants during the last two weeks of August 2023 (mid-August 2023).
Did you know you can track passport status online? Check US Visa Stamping – Passport Tracking Statuses meaning
- New Online System for US Visa Services in India: USTravelDocs has mentioned that they will have a new online system for US Visa Services from July 29th, 2023.
- They suggest making payment before July 24th, 2023, and having the profile up to date.
- The online system will not be available from July 26th to July 28th for the system change.
- First Timer B1/B2 Appointment Slots: US Consulates have started interviewing first-time B1/B2 applicants starting in September 2022. They plan to process over 1 million appointments for B1/B2 applicants in the 2023 calendar year. You can check some of those users shared B1/B2 Visa Stamping Experiences for 2023
- US Visa Dropbox Criteria 48 months from Expiry Status Extended: They changed the dropbox eligibility criteria to 48 months from expiry, instead of 12 months. On December 23rd, 2021, they extended this indefinitely. Again, in December 2022, they confirmed the availability of the 48-month dropbox rule for 2023 and beyond as well. There is no deadline on when the 48 months rule for an interview waiver will end. See the timeline section below for official links, screenshots of news.
- If you are planning for H1B Dropbox stamping, check H1B Visa Dropbox Process – Step by Step Guide with Screenshots.
- You can check US Visa Dropbox Tracker to know the current processing times as shared by users.
- Agents Fraud Booking Slots: In the past, in response to some users’ concern that some agents are charging 6k to 8k INR for visa slots, US Consulate Mumbai is asking to report fraud to MumbaiF@state.gov with all relevant details. They say that information will be kept confidential. So, if you see someone doing fraud, report it. Also, recently in October 2022, they clarified telling that using agents is not illegal as it is used for convenience, but they said user would not need one for booking slots. They will release more slots in bulk to make it level playing field.
- Dropbox Stamping Slots – H1B, H4, L1, B1/B2, Others: US consulates all across India are giving Interview Waiver/ Dropbox slots for H4, H1B, and other visa renewals. They are opening Dropbox slots even for 2023. All of these slots are not placeholder slots.
- MRV Fee Payment Validity Status: The US Visa Appointment application Fee (also called MRV Fee) for payments that will be made from October 1st, 2022 will be valid for 365 days. All the applicants must schedule an appointment using that fee receipt within 365 days from the date they actually made the payment. Read more at MRV Fee Validity
- Emergency Appointments(EA) Status, Guidance: If you cannot find a Visa slot, you can apply for a US Visa Emergency Appointment as needed. You need to meet the criteria if you want to request one. Read Guide to Apply for Emergency Appointment in India.
- There is an option also now in the online system that allows dropbox applicants to choose for an in-person appointment if there is an emergency. They updated their system in October 2022
- Due to the extreme amount of demand, they have slowed down the approvals of EA requests . You can check US Visa EA Tracker
- In-Person Interview Waiver for Certain Visa Holders: in December 2022, US Dept of State announced that they would give interview waiver for certain work visa holders and others as in below :
- H1B, H4, L, O, P and Q visa holders who meet certain criteria will get in-person interview waiver until end of 2023 ( Dec 31, 2023) .Also, F1, M, J visa holders who meet certain criteria would get in-person interview waiver until end of 2023 ( Dec 31, 2023)
- On Jan 1st, 2022, CGI Federal/UStravelDocs website got updated with new questions that implements the new interview waiver rule. Check timeline below for more info.
- Check complete details at article : US Visa Interview Waiver for Some visa types, Dropbox Extended
If you have not done emergency appointment requests in past, read Step by Step Guide to Apply for US Visa Emergency Appointment in India
- Check US Visa India Experiences Telegram Group for those and Community Group for US Visa Appointments India – Discussions.
- Immigrant Visa Stamping: US Embassy in India have resumed processing of Immigrant Visas and there are no restrictions in place. US Consulate in Mumbai is reaching out to the previous pending cases and they will be processed in chronological order. They say that by September 2023, the backlog should be cleared and they would be back to the pre-pandemic levels.
To check US Visa Slots available in India from Community in a crowdsourced platform, register at www.VisaJar.com, download their extension, activate, and contribute. This is to prevent agents and avoid lockouts in CGI Federal. It is free and community-driven!
Timeline, Official Links to Updates from US Consulates in India as of July 24th, 2023
Below is the timeline of updates from the US Consulates and Embassy that are tracked regularly. You can check the official updates reference links in the below timelines. They are usually tweets or website updates from the US Consulate/ US Embassy.
July 24th, 2023: Below are the latest updates since last update on July 11th.
Visa Fridays Q&A : US embassy had visa fridays Q & A session on Jul 20th, below is the summary of the updates from the session.
- F1 Visa Appointments, Slots – First time, refused: They said that they would release the appointments for applicants attending between August 21st to 31st will be released soon. This will also include the appointments for first-time rejected/ refused F1 visa applicants. They suggest checking once or twice a day to avoid locking out yourself. They say that it is enough to know if slots are released.
- B1/B2 Appointments: They said they are focusing more on the F1 visa appointments and interviews at the moment and will release more slots for B1/B2 starting from September 2023. Also, they say that they keep releasing B1/B2 slots on a rolling basis, so they suggest to keep checking now and then to get slots.
- Name change – Apply for new Visa: If your name changed due to marriage and got new passport, they said that you need to get a new US Visa to match your new passport name.
- No show, Natural Calamity: If you have missed an appointment due to natural calamity due to floods, etc. they suggest sending the details to the embassy email as the system will not allow normal expedite requests.
- Previous 214b denial: They said that you can get a visa after 214b denial, if the interviewing officer believes that you have overcome the concerns of the previous officer.
- Agents asking 10k, 50k for slots: They said, you do not need an agent to book an appointment or pay them to book the same. They say that the solts are released in bulk and big lots. They say all the normal users and agents would have same chance to book.
USTravelDocs Changes outage Dates:
- USTravelDocs again changed their outage dates to July 26th to July 28th. The new system would be available from July 29th, 2023.
- You cannot really do anything during the dates Jul 26-28. If you need to pay fee do it before Jul 25th, 2023.
- The same message was updated on US Embassy India website as well. Below is the screenshot of the updated notice from them on USTravelDocs and US Embassy India websites. Also, see the link from Facebook page of US Embassy linked below
July 11th, 2023: Below are the latest updates since July 5th, 2023.
Update on Jul 11th, 2023: USTravelDocs India updated today saying they are moving the outage dates. The updated outage dates are between July 18th and July 21st. The system will be available on July 22nd, 2023. See the below screenshot from their website.
- US Embassy updated their official website confirming the changes to the US Visa Appointment booking website that are upcoming on Jul 18th. (
12th. ) - US Visa Appointment booking website at ustraveldocs.com will not be available from July 18th to July 21st (
Jul12th to Jul 14th).You cannot do any of the below during this time- You cannot book appointments.
- You cannot pay fee. Payment services will be unavailable from July 17th, 2023.
- You cannot call customer service
- The services will resume on July 22nd (
Jul 15th, 2023.) - The new support email from July 22nd (
Jul 15th, 2023.) is support-india@usvisascheduling.com - If you have anything that is pending in your profile, complete it as soon as possible.
- If you have paid the fee, but have not associated the profile with your fee receipt, get it done before the outage.
- See the below screenshot of the news update from US Embassy India website and USTravelDocs India website
US Embassy had Visa Fridays on July 6th. Below are the updates from the same.
F1 Visa Slots in India, Refused applicants:
- US Embassy said they released thousands of F1 Visa Appointments and they were available as of Friday to book.
- They plan to open appointments for previously refused students soon. They did not mention any specific date though.
B1/B2 Appointments Slots India: They say that they are releasing appointments as per their capacity and suggest checking the appointment booking website regularly to book B1/B2 Slots.
H1B Visa Renewal within USA : They said they do not have start date for the pilot yet. They suggest checking the website for official announcements. You can check US Visa Stamping within USA for more info
Check Visa Navigator : They suggest checking US Visa Navigator for any questions: https://tinyurl.com/NewDelhiVisasNav
Check more details of Visa Fridays Q &A Thread
July 5th, 2023: Below are the latest updates since last week.
- It has been a quiet week since the last update due to the July 4th long weekend holiday in the US and across all US Consulates.
- There is no new update from the US Embassy in India or consulates. Everything continues to be like in before weeks.
- There is no news from the community on the release of bulk slots over last weekend.
- You can check the below update from June to get a full idea on the current status of the US Consulates, Embassy in India.
Pending Interview Waiver/ Dropbox Cases, 221g Administrative Processing Cases
- US Embassy in Delhi and Consulates have quietly updated their Visa Navigator Questions, saying that, if you submitted your documents for Dropbox/ Interview waiver stamping, then you need to give them 21 days (3 weeks) before contacting their office for an update.
- The 21 days should be counted from the day you submitted your documents.
- They will not respond to your questions if you contact them before 21 days.
- For 221(g) Administrative Processing, they suggest waiting 60 days before reaching out to the US Embassy or Consulate. If you reach out early, you will not get a response from them.
- See the below screenshot from their Visa Navigator pages
June 26th, 2023: Below are the most recent updates from the last week until today.
US Visa Stamping within USA: The White House made an official announcement that they will run pilot for H1B Renewals within the US later part of this year and much more next year. Check out Official News summary of US Visa Stamping within USA News
US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A last Friday(June 22nd, 2023), below are the updates from the same.
- F1 Visa Stamping for Fall 2023, Refused Applicants, Stamping :
- F1 Visa Slots for previously rejected applicants would open during the mid-August timeframe. Their focus is first-time applicants and first-time rejected applicants have to wait until mid-August.
- F1 first-time stamping(fresher) slots are now available across all the consulates in India. They suggest checking the USTravelDocs Portal as they continue to open slots.
- Previously refused Tourist Visa Impact on F1 Stamping: If the applicant has previously refused tourist visa to the US, it would not have any impact on the F1 Visa stamping.
- No specific update on B1/B2 or H1B Visas during the update by them.
- Check the Visa Fridays Q&A
June 19th, 2023: Below are the latest updates from last week until now and wait times for US Visa appointments in India.
F1 Visa Appointments/ Slots for Fall 2023 :
- US Embassy in India updated on June 18th, 2023 that they have opened F1 Visa interview appointments for Fall 2023 applicants for mid-July to mid-August 2023 across all the consulates in India. Below is the link for the lastest official update.
- They suggest checking USTravelDocs.com to book the visa stamping appointment for Fall 2023.
- They plan to open slots for F1 visa applicants who were refused first time in the last two weeks of August 2023.
- US Consulates continue to process B1/B2, H1B, H4, L1, L2 and other visa appointments as usual. The demand now is for the student season and their focus is on the same visa types.
Below are the current US Visa Appointments Wait times in India Across all the US Consulates and Embassy. You can also check the trend of US Visa Appointment wait times in India acros all consulates.
- US Embassy processed over 600,000 US Visa applications from Indians this year as of June 12th, 2023. They plan to process over a million by the end of 2023. Check this link and below screenshot.
New Online System for US Visa Services in India:
- USTraveldocs System is getting an upgrade and they are moving to a new system from July 1th, 2023
- They suggest having everything up to date by July 10th, 2023 as system would not be available from July 11th, to July 14th, 2023.
- Below is the official update from their website.
Updates from mid-February 2023 until mid-June 2023
Unfortunately, in the last 4 months, due to unforeseen circumstances, we did not update the status of US Visa appointments in India. Apologies about that. We are back and will continue to update this page with latest updates.
February 13th, 2023: Below are the updates from February 7th, 2023 until now.
- US Consulates continue to be operating in full swing to clear the wait times with the recent measures announced in January 2023. You can check previous weeks updates below for more on the same.
- CGI Federal URL Changed: Over the weekend, the CGI Federal URL changed from domain that ends with for with force.com to salesforce-sites.com
- New URL : https://atlas.my.salesforce-sites.com/
- Old URL: https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/
US Embassy in India had Visa Fridays Q & A last Friday on Feb 9th, 2023. Below is summary of the key answers from them
- F1 Visa Appointment Slots – Summer 2023:
- They said that they are ‘preparing for a small student season in April’, who are planning for Summer intake.
- They said the slots would open up in batches in weeks leading to each student season. They suggest checking the website for the availability of the slots.
- No mention of any date when they will open slots.
- There will not be any slots open for March 2023. If your program starts in March or April, they suggest talking to the school and deferring the admission.
- Regarding slots for first-time refused F1 applicants, they said it will vary by availability and have not confirmed and suggested checking the website.
- Below is screenshot of the info from their FAQs
- B1/B2 Appointment Slots: They say that they continue to open B1/B2 slots periodically as availability permits on their end and suggest checking the website continuously.
- H1B Slots for December 2023: They did not mention any specifics other than saying, it depends on many factors. They suggest booking an appointment before leaving the US for stamping as it is unsure.
- You can check the full Visa Fridays FAQs or click below
February 7th, 2023: Below are the updates from starting of February 2023.
- US Consulates and Embassy in India have picked up the pace of processing of US Visa applications based on the measures they indicated in January.
- In January 2023, US Consulates and Embassy processed over 1 lakh(100,000) visa applicants. This is one of the highest monthly totals ever since July 2019 as per them.
- B1/B2 Stamping outside India – Bangkok: US Embassy has said that, if you have plans to travel to Thailand, you can get B1/B2 stamping done in Bangkok, Thailand. All you need to id book an appointment for B1/B2 in Thailand. They say that the Bangkok US consulate has capacity to handle India applicants seeking B1/B2 visa. Check below the facebook post.
- Tip: If you are looking for a US Visa Slot, register at VisaJar.com to see community-contributed data and avoid lockouts. It is built to keep out agents and is fully community driven. It is free and anonymous.
This January, the U.S. Mission to India processed over 1 Lakh visa applications. That’s more than in any month since July 2019 and one of our highest monthly totals ever! And we aren’t done yet. Our capacity will continue to increase as our team grows this spring. pic.twitter.com/nkcmhopWHZ
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) February 4, 2023
January 31st, 2023: Below are the updates from the beginning of 2023 until end of January
Visa Fridays Q &A was held on January 26th, below are the key updates
- F1 Students – Spring 2023, Summer 2023: They said, interview slots are all done for Spring 2023 and. if you have not got a slot, defer admission. If you are looking for Summer 2023, they will release slots before the summer visa season, so stay tuned. Similar to before, even for summer intake, they will release slots for first-time applicants and then only for those refused applicants.
- B1/B2 Visa Slots: They confirmed that they released over 200K visa slots and they will release more as they have capacity.
- No specific questions or updates were there for H1B, H4 or L Visas
- You can read full Visa Fridays FAQ Comments on Facebook.com
On January 22nd, US Embassy announced some big initiatives to reduce the visa appointment wait times in India. Below are the key steps from the announcement
- They are increasing permanent staff assigned to Consulates and Embassy in India
- They will be processing interview waiver cases remotely to clear up backlog
- They will do interviews on Saturdays across all consulates and Embassy to reduce the wait times
- They have also extended the hours in Mumbai during weekdays to address more cases.
- They are also getting more visa officers from Washington DC to temporarily from January to March 2023 to address the backlog of cases.
- Recently they issued more than 250,000 B1/B2 appointments
- Below is the screenshot of the press release. You can read the full press release on US Embassy India Website
US Embassy had ‘Visa Fridays Q&A‘ session on Jan 13th, 2022. Below is the summary of the key updates from them
- F1 Students Slots – Spring 2023: US Embassy said that they have no more slots available for F1 students who plan to travel to the US for Spring 2023. They said that the visa appointment slots for first-time applicants, as well as previously refused students are completely full for January and they will not release more slots. They suggest talking to the school and deferring the admission.
- Summer 2023 Slots: They say that slots for F1 applicants for summer may open periodically and suggest to keep checking the website.
- B1/B2 Visa Slots: They said that they recently released more than 200,000 visa appointments slots for B1/B2 visas and they plan to release more as their load permits. They suggest keeping checking the USTravelDocs website for appointments
- Reschedule appointment – How many times: They confirmed that you can reschedule your appointment 3 times. You will need to pay for new MRV fee if you want to reschedule after 3rd time. see below screenshot for the same.
- H/L visa appointments : There is no new update related to availablity of the slots for H1B/ L visa applicants from the US Embassy.
December 26th, 2022: Below are updates until today since last week.
- No new changes in the US Consulates situation in India. Check the previous week’s update.
- On December 23rd, 2022, the US Dept of State extended the Interview Waiver Options until Dec 31st, 2023. Read the latest official news summary at: US Dept of State extends interview waiver for certain nonimmigrant visa holders
December 19th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Question and Answer session on December 15th, below are the. key updates
- F1 Visa Slots for Spring 2023(Refused, First time): US Embassy said that they have opened slots for first-time refused applicants and also regular first-time applicants in December, and they are pretty much full for December, and January. They say that their capacity is full for F1 visa appointments. They suggest delaying your start date or deferring admission if you cannot get a slot.
- B1/B2 Visa Slots: They did not offer any exact dates on when they plan to open slots for B1/B2, but said to keep checking as they open large batches when time permits.
- Reschedule Appointment: They confirmed that you can reschedule your appointment four times.
- Missed Appointments: They said that if you miss your appointment, you can reschedule, but you would not be able to book any appointment during the next 90 days window.
- Check full Q & A on Facebook page of US Embassy
December 15th, 2022: Below are the updates from the start of December until today
No changes in the US Consulates’ status in terms of their operations; everything is still operating at limited capacity.
US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on December 2nd, below are the updates from the same session.
- H1B, H4, L1/L2 Slots Visa Appointments: US Embassy continues to say the previous update stating that the appointments are full for the next several months, and they plan to open slots as conditions allow. They said that they would soon open H/L visa appointment slots and suggested keeping checking. They did not specify any date or number of slots they plan to open.
- B1/B2 Visa Appointments: Similar to before, they say that you should continue to check their website regularly for slots. They say that they release large batches of slots, and it usually takes a day or two to fill, so regular checking will help book a slot. They did not give any details on how many they plan to open or when.
- F1 Visa Applicants – Refused Slots for Spring 2023: US Embassy said there will be a short window in January 2023, where they will interview F1 applicants with a previous refusal. The slots for this window will be opened soon, they did not mention any date.
- You can check full updates at the below Facebook Post
November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session.
- US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion, with no changes in the overall situation.
- US Embassy updated on Nov 28th saying that they have opened quite a few B1/B2 dropbox slots across Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Check below tweet from them.
Looking for a B1/B2 interview waiver (dropbox) visa appointment? Good news! We’ve opened a number of B1/B2 interview waiver appointments for the coming month in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Book now in time for holiday travel.
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) November 28, 2022
- F1 Students Appointments for Spring 2023, Refusals: They said the visa appointment slots for fresh F1 students applying (without refusals) will be opened in the last week of November. They will also open lots for first-time refused applicants towards the end of the F1 Spring 2023 season. No specific date was mentioned by them, they suggest to keep checking the online system. Also, they suggest re-applying for F1 after refusal if there are changes in the info that you want to present to the consular officer or if the circumstances have significantly changed.
- H and L Visa appointments(H1B, L1, H4, L2): They said slots are pretty much full for the next few months and they said that they have been opening slots for H and L categories as space allows. They say slots are still available for late 2023 and suggest booking.
- B1/B2 Visa Slots: They said that they opened a large batch of slots in Spring 2022 for B1/B2, but they got filled quickly and continue to open slots as conditions allow them. They say, they will open new slots as capacity allows. They suggest checking online.
- IR1/CR1 Visas Processing: No change from the previous week, they say that they will follow a proper sequence and process applications in chronological order.
- Check below for the actual Q&A
November 8th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A last week, below are the key updates from the same, including regular updates.
- H1B, H4, L1, L2 Visa Slots: They said that due to high demand H and L visa appointments have long wait times and they fill quickly when released. The appointments are full for the coming months for H and L visa types. But, they will open more H and L slots as conditions allow. They may release slots on short notice as well, so they suggest checking the website regularly for availability.
- F1 Spring 2023 Slots, Refused: Most of the discussion and questions were around refused slots for first-time refused applicants.
- For first-time refused F1 applicants, they said that they will open visa appointment slots toward the end of the season. No specific date or week was stated by them.
- As far as regular Spring 2023 slots go, they released a large batch and most of those slots are booked. The next big batch of slots will come later part of November. This is also in their FAQs
- Fewer Slots in Delhi: They said that slots released are based on staff availability. Also, that’s the reason for long wait times at some consulate locations than others.
- B1/B2 Visa Appointments, Renewals, Reschedules: They said that the demand for first-time B1/B2 was high and the current wait time is long. They are trying to add resources so that they can offer more appointments. No timelines were given for this.
- They said that it is unlikely to have another batch of B1/B2 visa slots released in 2022 and say you might get lucky, if someone cancels.
- They suggest keeping checking the website for any rescheduling of the appointment. They say some people cancel appointments and you may get lucky in rescheduling.
- They said it can take anywhere from 10 to 30 days to get a passport with a US visa after the submission of documents for B1/B2 renewal.
- IR1/CR1 Visas Processing: They clarified again regarding the confusion on some later submitted CR1 and IR1 applicants getting processed than the ones that were submitted before. They again confirmed that, except few exceptions, who got expedited approvals, they are processing in order as they were submitted. They say to be patient and it will be processed in the right sequence.
- Check below for full details and actual Q&A responses.
November 2nd, 2022: Below are the key updates from last week until now.
- No changes in the US Consulates’ situation or the way they are operating in the last week or so. Everything is as in the previous week. Check the previous week updates.
- F1 Visa Slots for Spring 2023: The first batch of F1 slots for Spring 2023 were open around October 30th and many F1 applicants were able to book. There seem to be lesser slots for Delhi based on feedback from users due to more demand.
- US Visa Appointment Wait Times for Dropbox: The US Department of State website now shows the wait times for interview waiver/ dropbox as well by the consulate location. You can see the below screenshot on how it looks for New Delhi. You can enter any city and see the latest wait times at US Dept of State Website
We have removed all the timeline of updates before November 2022 to keep the thread clean and up to date.
You can watch YouTube Video on where & how to check for US Consulates openings, wait times.
History of US Travel Ban for India, NIE (Reference only – Not Applicable Now)
The below history information is not applicable now ( after Nov 8, 2021). But, it is just general information for your background.
- General Travel Ban Background : On April 30th, President Biden signed a Proclamation banning entry of most of the non-immigrant visa holder from India who have been physically in India for 15 days prior to their US Travel. As part of this, they canceled all appointments ( Biometrics, Visa Interview) at US Consulates and US Embassy in India until further notice. Read below articles on the Travel Ban Exceptions, NIE Details
- Apply NIE while in US : You cannot apply for NIE when you are physically present in the US. You need to be in India and then only apply for NIE. Check US Consulate Chennai Guidance – Can you apply for NIE, while in US for full details.
- NIE Validity 12 months : US Dept of State issued guidance indicating that NIE would be valid for 12 months from the date it was issued and it is valid for multiple entries as well. This is effective from July 6, 2021 and it will apply retroactively to previously issued NIE with old 30 days rule. Check more at Travel to US on NIE – 12 months Rule
- 221g Given for Applicants without NIE
- US Consulates are giving 221(g) Administrative Processing slip for pending visa processing applications or if someone does not fall under NIE. It says that the proclamation is in effect, so they cannot process and need more information. See below timeline for a sample form that is given for 221g.
FAQs – US Visa Stamping and Consulates Updates in India
As of July 2023, you can apply for H1B visa stamping for both in-person and interview waiver. There are no restrictions as such.
Currently, they are processing interview waivers and limited in-person slots. They plan to be at full capacity before September 2023. This is based on their update in the past, we do not know if this still holds true. They plan to process about 1 million us visa appointment in 2023.
Yes, they are the most available slots. There are new provisions that make more people leverage the interview waiver/dropbox option.
No, there is no refund as such. In general, you have one year from the day you paid Visa fee to use the same. They updated in late September 2022 saying that, previous rules of 365 days to book apply now and everyone should book an appointment within 365 days from the issuance of the MRV receipt.
You do not need a new US Visa if you are already in the US. As long as you have your I-797 approval valid and I-94 valid, you are fine. All you need to do is maintain Status. Read US Visa vs. Status Difference
Yes, they have opened slots for first time B1/B2 applicants and started interview from September 1st week of 2022 and continue to be available as of July 2023.
Official Sources, Links
- US Consulate India – News Alerts COVID-19
- USTravelDocs India Home
- Travel.State.Gov – COVD-19 Updates Page
If you are from other country, you should check your local US Consulate Website for updated information.
Did you go for Visa appointment or Dropbox ? What was your experience ?
Did not understand the value in allowing B1/2 with “clearance received” to raise expedite requests now. They still need to book a dummy slot for both OFC and Consular in order to qualify for raising an expedite request, correct? And they are not opening any slots for B1/2. When they do open, people will struggle to reserve a slot anyway. Am I missing something? Because my parent’s appointment got canceled during Covid as well, even though it’s been 1.5 years since I paid MRV fee, and my parent did not qualify for the 48 month Dropbox extension due to the “clearance received” annotation.
AM,
Yes, that is true you still need a slot. Frankly, you are right, it may not help, but as the dropbox slots are in high demand, maybe it might help. If you do get a slot, try it out.
My drop box appointment is scheduled for Aug 3rd 2022. How do I find out whether its a placeholder appointment or regular dropbox appointment. I am currently in the USA and dont want to risk travelling if not needed and get appointment cancelled and stuck there. Thanks
vijay,
If you booked in the last couple of months, it should be a real one. You can call the customer service or email them to get confirmation.
Is it possible to reserve an in-person interview appointment even if I am eligible for Dropbox? (in case of in-person slots being available earlier than dropbox slots)
Yashk,
The system will not allow you to do that.
Ah! Thanks for the quick reply
Hi,
Are the visa slots opening 3 months in future. (For eg. Right now is it open for April, May and June) or is it open for the whole year?
Hello. I am a US Citizen and I am applying for a B2 visa renewal for my mom. She is based in Chennai and qualifies for interview waiver under the new rules. I paid the visa fees on the USTravelDocs website on 24-Feb-2022 via NEFT and i still have not received a receipt to schedule an appointment for dropoff. There has been radio silence since i paid, my emails are not being answered and there is no other way to contact anyone for status. This impacts travel plans for many others who are depending on this renewal to go through
Could you please advise how to get a dropbox appointment at the earliest or who to contact to get an update? Just knowing what is happening and how long it would take would immensely help. This radio silence is very unnerving.
Thanks in advance!
My parents paid the fees last year and are still waiting.. My parents qualify for interview waiver as well. They actually went to the Dropbox location in Chennai and the folks there informed them that they still need to get an appointment through the CGI website.
I do see appointment slots open for B2 at Chennai only in October 2022, but when I select the time and click on next, it keeps saying that there is no slot available. have not been able to get an appointment date thus far..
KT,
They are placeholder slots, do not book them. You need to keep looking. You can use VisaGrader India Availablity to keep an eye on what is opening
Hello Mr.Kumar,
I have been using visa grader for the last 2 months to look for any openings for drop boxes anywhere in India. 2 weeks ago the embassy released some dates that were green color on visa grader but when I logged in nothing was showing up on my page.
Also, I am confused between availability and recent activity. I see recent activity a few minutes ago on the page and when I log in no appointments available show up. also on the availability page dates are not turning green. I have my trip planned for India from April 17 but I don’t have appointment for a dropbox. I am very very disappointed, disgusted, and hopeless
Yash,
It is sad reality, slots really get filled up quickly. Very few are opened and they go fast. The only thing I can think of is keep looking and hope you get lucky. I wish, they opened more slots.
Hello Mr.Kumar,
I have been using visa grader for the last 2 months to look for any openings for drop boxes anywhere in India. 2 weeks ago the embassy released some dates that were green color on visa grader but when I logged in nothing was showing up on my page.
Also, I am confused between availability and recent activity. I see recent activity a few minutes ago on the page and when I log in no appointments available show up. also on the availability page dates are not turning green. I have my trip planned for India from April 17 but I don’t have appointment for a dropbox. I am very very disappointed, disgusted, and hopeless
Any from TCS got an appointment in delhi consulate for fresh visa lottery 2021.
Hi ,
How many times i can cancel/ reschedule the appointment?
chaitanya, check article How many times can I reschedule US visa Appointment
I am currently employed by employer A and have h1b from employer A.
I have plans to go for stamping (first stamping) but now I have an offer from employer B
Should I get my H1 B transfer before my stamping or should I get my stamp from employer A h1b and then get the transfer?
What are the risks associated?
Hi ,
I have submitted my H1B documents in Delhi-dropbox on Jan 19th , My dependents passport status showing Issued and my documents status showing as under Admin process from last 5 days, any one faced similar issue, how to long it takes to clear.
Hello,
Can someone let me know how long is it taking for the stamping for H1 and L1 visa with the new drop box option.
Thank you
I saw a note that B2 -visitor visa appointment slots are open, can anyone confirm if Visa appointment for B2 is open for Hyderabad location and visa stamping is completed
Thanks
Hi, any idea if i can still submit dropbox documents if there is lockdown in place.
Hi,
I am trying to get New H1B visa stamping slot in Hyderabad. Has anyone booked in past 2-3 days? Are you getting slots Dates? Where can I check availability? Please Help
Thanks
HI
I do see appointment slots open for B2 at New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, but when I select the time and click on next, it keeps saying that there is no slot available. Also, after multiple tries, it says that you have reached max number of page visits. Has anyone been able to secure a new B2 Visa appointment?
Thanks in advance.
Yes, exactly the same thing is showing to me too. Have you finally managed to get new B2 appointment? Thanks.
Could you please suggest how did you get New B2 appointment ?
thanks looking forward your reply.
Hi,
I am trying to get New H1B visa stamping slot. Has anyone booked in past 2-3 days? Are you getting slots for January? Where can I check availability? any telegram/ wapp groups?
Thanks much!
My brother-in-law and his wife booked their appointments last week at New Delhi for May for H1B stamping.
Anyone got new visa appointment in India? Please let me know if slots are available or getting open.
I was able to book for first week of January for b2 for dropbox only in New Delhi VAC.
Is your base location is Delhi ?
Did you start a fresh appointment or hit continue? We are seeing slots for October 2022, but nothing for near future. What time IST did you try booking the slots?
Thanks!
Hi, I do see an appointment slots open for B2 from Hyderabad, but when I select the time and click on next, its keep saying that there are no slot available. Also, after multiple trails, its saying that you have reached max number of page visits and just complete the transaction. Its just confusing. Any one sees the same?
Yes. I have been seeing the same issue for all appointment slots available in the various cities like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai etc. Not able to select a slot and proceed further.
I don’t even see IW option anymore. It’s leading me straight to the OCF and interview page. What are you seeing?
I qualify for dropbox appoinment. After paying required fees, while trying to schedule dropbox appointment, since late Oct’21, I used to see “<> IW” in the dropdown box. Seems like IW description in the dropdown box while scheduling a dropbox appointment has disappeared around mid Nov’21 and showing “< VAC” option. Either the dropbox appointments are not available or new slots are yet to be opened. I share the frustration of checking for open/available slots on regular basis with no luck. With a limit on no.of times onecan check in 24 hours and random timeline when slots are opened, if any, are causing more frustration. Hope Consulate opens enough dropbox appointments in near future
Hi Anji,
Does it say IW or does it say OFC near the consulate/embassy location?
Thanks,
Sid
At last i got my company to process my H1B cap exempt petition. I travelled to US Jan 2017 to Jan 2018. Once i received my extension denial i came to India and they applied once again but it got denied. I have changed my company (B)and they are going to apply for Cap exempt petition for remaining 5 Years.
1.Will the Twice denial from Company 1 will affect the process?
2.Do we need denial copies for applying the cap extent. Since i have stayed above my visa validity. As per company(A) policy they don’t provide denial reason and document for denial.
My Husband who is on H1B was in company A from Jan 2015 to Oct 2017, company B from Oct 2017 to Oct 2018, company C from Oct 2018 till date. I am on H4 and went to India in 2017 and got stamping for company A till July 2019 as per the I797 at that time. Now I am planning to go to India alone on H4. Due to pandemic situation, the eligibility for Dropbox is 48 months from expiry of visa. Even though I qualify for Dropbox, I have a doubt regarding the employer change. The previous stamping was for company A and the one I will be going is for company C.
1. Is the company change acceptable while going for Dropbox?
2. Does that change my eligibility for Dropbox or will be a reason for my visa stamping rejection now?
Don’t take risk, if past H1B employer has withdrawn status, you H4 even if it unexpired, it is not a valid.
I have my H1B visa interview and stamping here in Chennai on 19th of November. Given that travel ban is going to be lifted on 8th, would I need an NIE?
No it’s not required
Hi AR, I’m trying to get visa interview date in any USCIS office. Can you help us by explaining how to managed to get date.
Hello,
I am desperately trying to schedule a drop box appointment at the New Delhi
VAC location for renewing my recently expired H-1B visa. I have been
monitoring the website (www.ustraveldocs.com) every single day (3-4 times)
for the last several weeks, but I am unable to see the calendar of
appointments. Has anyone recently gotten a drop box appointment for H-1B visa renewal? Also if someone has any updates on
when the visa office will resume operations and processing of dropbox
appointments, please let me know. It will be much appreciated!
Thank you.
Same question here. Are drop box appointments limited too? Will they go back to normal after November 7?
Could someone help with our doubt – Can a us born kid travel back from india to usa transiting thru Dubai or London if his passport has less than 6 months validity with H1b visa holder parents..
Why does this article say US travel ban will be lifted on November 9th? Isn’t it November 8th?? All the media news articles say November 8th.
Osan,
it is Nov 8th. It was a typo, sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the correction.
What about 221g received due to presidential proclamation 10199??..The ban is going to end on Nov8th.So can we submit our documents on Nov 9th directly?(we were just told to drop passports after travel ban is lifted for stamping)
DS,
The travel ban is supposed to end on that date. We need to wait for confirmation on this. The visa stamping part depends on the slots availability and host of other things, that is not directly related.
Ds,
Have you got a chance to drop the passports?
You can have visa interview in different consulate so that you can 221g pending visas. If you are submitting your passport it will easily take 2 months to get your passport back. Better book a new appointment
I have a slot on November 3 2021 for drop box do I need NIE ? As travel ban is lifted?
Srikar,
No, the travel ban is going to be lifted only from Nov 9th, until there the previous guidance applies.
We need to wait for consulates as well on the official policy.
So I have to get NIE right ?
I need to apply for Visitor’s Visa for my mom. I am a US citizen. But I am not able to get any appointment. Can anyone help?
Divya,
Still B1/B2 are not yet open. Everyone is waiting for the same.
I am in same boat need visitor visa for my parents, and i am US citizen, paid MRV fee and waiting since september 2021, there are no appointments available, can anyone please help, is there any other option available ?
Has regular H1b visa stamping resumed in India? After calling the Indian visa call center 703 520 2239 multiple times, they said that the regular visa processing has resumed… could someone please confirm?
It has been resumed but with limited number of slot. I had my H1B interview on Oct 7 in New Delhi.
Currently studying on H4. I am planning to go to India for F1 stamping. My husbands Traveldocs site profile is used for H1B/H4 stamping appointment. Do I need to create a separate new profile in TravelDocs site for F1? Can we look for appointments in same profile for H1B/H4 and F1 together? Appreciate your help.
Hello all, I attended for H1B visa interview on September 9th, 2021, at the US consulate, Hyderabad.
At the end of the interview, the visa officer has kept my passport and informed me that my visa is under consideration for NIE and will let me know within 24hrs to 2days, and handed me a 221g white slip.
I haven’t received any reply back from them yet! Did anyone else experience a similar situation, if so typically how many days did it take to receive your passport back?
Thanks in advance!
No. Hopefully, you’ll get your visa approved very soon. when did you book a interview date?
How were you able to find a visa appointment date for an interview? I’m trying to find any dates for my family, I couldn’t find any.
Did you get any response yet?
Hey,
I am trying to book an h1b extension dropbox appointment in New Delhi. I started this 5 days back ie from September 7th. Does anybody know what the current status is? How often are the slots released in Delhi? Are people getting slots?
Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks
Hello everyone
I started my visa slot booking application
But when I go to the NEFT payment page it is showing amount and amount expiry which is next week.. does it mean my payment expires next week and I have to pay again? That makes no sense to me. Plz help.
Thanks
Nikki
No I think it’s not like that. Visa fee is valid for 1 year
The account number details for NEFT OR mobile details for IMPS MMID will be valid till that given date. After that date, those details might change. As per my understanding, that’s the purpose of that date.
That expire date you are referring is for exchange rate of usd and inr for visa fee.
Trying to book first time H4 appointment. It shows a lot of dates. But whatever I select, it goes to the next page and says “No appointment available.” Is it like the biometrics are available but the interview is not?
hi brother my name is surjit my family need fingerprint. delhi fingerprint is open. how can i get fingerprin done for my fmaily.(singh1973surjit@gmail.com)i am in usa….
Yes.
Hi All,
I am trying to find H1-B stamping appointment (new visa) but looks like no dates are available at all. Did anybody have any luck to book one? Are there any telegram groups which can give heads-up when the slots open up? If yes, can you please share the links.
Appreciate all help.
Thanks,
Sonia
Hey Sonia,
I was able to book a H1b VISA stamping app for a NEW H1b visa stamping last Friday at the Kolkata Consulate (see below for my comment). At the time , at least for Kolkata consulate, there were quite a few slots available (both for biometric and in-person interviews). Now that the F1 rush is kinda over, I suspect the consulates are going to open up more & more dates for other VISA classes. I would suggest you keep checking. I am sure you will get one soon !
Good Luck !
Sam
Any idea when B2 Visa dropbox appointments will open up?
Its been over 3 months that no appointments are available for IW (Interview Waiver/Dropbox) for B2 visa category
varun,
No one knows yet. True, it is very much the case.
Hi Guys,
Sorry there are typos in my last comment 🙁
Today I was able to book H1b (New and first time) VISA stamping appointment at the Kolkata consulate. Looked like there were lots of dates (both Biometric and interview dates) available. I have been checking everyday since July 1st.
Good everyone who is looking for H1B appointments.
did it open up please let know?
I booked the interview online myself at Kolkata consulate last Thursday. At the time, it looked like there were quite a few slots (both biometric and interview). If you are not seeing any right now, maybe they got taken ?
what time did u check?
Hi Sam,
How did it go at Kolkata? Also, were you already working for the employer when you went for Visa interview?
thanks!
Hi Guys,
Today I was able to book H1b (New and first time) stamping appointment at the Kolkata consulate. Looked there were lots of dates available. I have been everyday since July 1st.
Good everyone who is looking for H1B appointments.
Hello Everyone,
Anyone able to book H1B dropbox appointment recently? I am looking for appointment in August in any consulate since my dropbox eligibility is ending on August 25th.
What is the good time to check the appointment availability & how many times we can try in a day? I am keep getting the warning message “Reached maximum limit of visiting this page”.
Any suggestions / advise please?
Venkat,
It is hard to find a slot. You can use the telegram group to track. The article has the links.
Thank you so much Kumar for the information.
Hi Venkat,
Can you please share the telegram group links? Not able to find any open appointments at any of the Consulates.
Thanks,
Sonia
Hi All,
My H1B petition got selected on last August2020, and I’m waiting for the visa interview & stamping now. Will they accept me into emergency appointments..?
Or Will Booking appointments at random dates useful after lockdown?
Please kindly advise..
I am on F1 stem extension it expires in 2023 also I got my h1 approval is it possible for me to travel to india and come back before october so i dont have to get my h1 stamped
I am eligible for H1b dropbox, however, there are no appointments available. I have been checking their page daily, however, it’s the same since past 2 months. Does anyone know when consulates are going to resume normal operations?
It appears that in addition to 48 months from expiration of previous visa, another condition has changed. The last visa does not have to be issued in the ‘home country’ now.
The questionnaire now says: “Was your most recent H1B visa issued after January 1, 2008?”
Any source?
Hi,
I have an H1B visa appointment scheduled for next week. Do I need NIE to attend the visa appointment consular interview? Kindly Suggest.
I have travel plans for August.
Hi Suman,
Hope you are doing good!
When did you schedule your H1B appointment…Is it after June14th 2021 or before that…why Iam asking because…Iam trying for H1B Dropbox appointment since June 14th but Iam not getting a visa slot….And is it your H1B dropbox appointment??? Please reply my question it would be very helpful for me.
Thanks in advance!
What is NIE?
What about H1B visa? Not going to get any appointment soon? It looks as if only h1b people are getting affected with covid. Students won’t get covid even h1b with family relation with US citizen won’t get covid. Seriously? It’s such a joke. It just a way to put restrictions to H1b
Is NIE applicable for Drop-box appointments? I got an appointment for drop-box in Mumbai in July 1st week. Can I travel back to US after drop-box ? I may qualify under health-care services. ALso when should you submit NIE request before or after appointment?
How did u get Dropbox appointment ?
Hi Sruthi,
Hope you are doing good!
When did you schedule your H1B appointment…Is it after June14th 2021 or before that…why Iam asking because…Iam trying for H1B dropbox appointment since june 14th but Iam not geeting a visa slot….Please reply my question it would be very helpful for me.
Thanks in advance!
I have a query.Due to pandemic my employer could not initiate stamping for my h1b.the petition os valid from oct 2020 to sep 2023.
I heard in h1 i can stay maximum 6 yrs.So does this 6 year calculate the time i am outside Usa? or the clock will start from petition approved date i.e. oct 2020 in my case..please advise
6 yrs count will only includes the number of days you stay in US.
Hi Kumar.
I have a query.Due to pandemic my employer could not initiate stamping for my h1b.the petition os valid from oct 2020 to sep 2023.
I heard in h1 i can stay maximum 6 yrs.So does this 6 year calculate the time i am outside Usa? or the clock will start from oct 2020 in my case..please advise
Hi,
I am in US with H1b visa. My wife had to travel to India with our kids (US born). She needs visa stamping to travel back. Is it possible to apply for visa under emergency category since kids are US citizens ?
Thanks
Kumar,
Yes, you can. Request EA based on Kids vaccination. Get a letter from US doctor and use that for EA.
Thanks for the reply.
My kids are 8 and 4 old (no vaccination eligibility). Will the EA based on vaccination work out for them ?
I live in US on h1b visa, and my wife is in India. How can i setup her visa interview? I’m not able book any dates as soon as I try to select a date then next screen has a message of no dates available. Is the embassy closed?
same for me cant able to book
Hi,
For those who received appointment cancellation email, how many days before your appointment did you receive the cancellation email?
Hi;
I was told by the US TRAVEL DOCS customer support that they may or may not send the cancellation email. It’s the responsibility of the individual who has the visa appointment to check his/her status online. Also I was told that the appointment cancellation can be done by the concerned a week before or even a day before the biometric appointment. Hope this info helps.
Hi,
My visa interview appointment cancelled twice. Does these also considered as count?
I heard we can schedule only 5 times for one mrv fees?
No its not considered as attempt. Mine was cancelled once and I have confirmed officially that cancelled appointment does not count as attempt .
Thanks,