Over 1 Lakh Appointments Issue For US Visa Application In India

Taking into account the high demand for employment-based visas and considering the people who have not been able to come home and see their families since the pandemic started, the US Mission to India has released more than 1,00,000 appointments for H&L visas for workers and their families.

The US Mission in India recently released over 100,000 appointments for H&L workers and their families in response to the high demand for employment-based visas. Thousands of applicants have already booked their appointments, and the wait time for both interview waivers and first-time appointments in Mission India has been cut in half. "Our commitment to H&L workers is reflected in this bulk appointment opening," the US Embassy in India tweeted.

After External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar brought up the issue of visa delays with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month, this was among the key assurances given by the US mission.

Don Heflin, US Embassy Counselor, acknowledged on 30 September that some people in the US with H and L visas haven't been able to see their families since the pandemic began. He stated that "…we sympathize with them a lot. We are going to, sometime in the next few weeks, open 100,000 appointments in the year 2023 for this category of visas. And for those interested in this and want a slot, check our website every 2 or 3 days, every 2 or 3 hours during October."

Counselor Heflin further warned the applicants not to check the website more frequently than advised. He mentioned, "Don't check it any more than that because it will lock you out. You're locked out for 72 hours."

As of Friday, the wait times for first-time applicants for B1 (business) and B2 (visitor) visas were 884 days in Delhi and 872 in Mumbai, edging closer to 2.5 years.

Among the most popular non-immigrant work visas in the US are L-1 and H-1B. While L-1 is better suited for MNCs, H-1B is better suited for those intending to work for US businesses and needing more job flexibility.