U.S. Consulates in India remain closed as of July 5, 2022. They have opened many interview slots for F1 student visas and have started to open B1/B2 renewal interview slots. Those B1/B2 interviews would start in September 2022. They plan on issuing about 800,000 visas in India within the next 12 months. Applicants can now schedule appointments up to 18 months in advance.
Regular operations are scheduled to resume by mid-2023. So far, immigrant visa processing has resumed, without restrictions. The MRV (Visa Appointment Booking) fee payment validity has been extended to ensure that all applicants can schedule their visa appointment.
Individuals who cannot find a visa slot are encouraged to see if they qualify for a U.S. Visa Emergency Appointment.
The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai asks that users report concerns of fraud to the state, due to some agents charging between 6,000 and 8,000 INR for visa slots.
The U.S. embassy has stated that dropbox stamping can take 3 to 4 weeks to process. These cannot be expedited. An exact date has not been given as to when embassies plan on opening appointments. This is a precautionary measure to avoid technical difficulties caused by excess online traffic.
If you have questions about an immigration issue, contact us at ILBSG. We actively monitor ongoing updates to ensure our clients get the right advice.