Want faster US visa interview? This city can help you
What's the story
The US Department of State has released its latest global visa wait time data, revealing significant variations in interview timelines for the US visas across Indian cities. As of April 15, 2026, Chennai emerges as the fastest city to secure an appointment for a visitor visa. The average wait time for B1/B2 visitor visas in Chennai is around four months, with the next available appointment also at about four months.
Comparison
Mumbai and Kolkata's situation
In contrast to Chennai's relatively shorter wait time, other major Indian cities like Mumbai and Kolkata are facing longer delays. The average wait time for a B1/B2 visitor visa in Mumbai is around seven months with the next available appointment at about 7.5 months. Kolkata also has a similar situation with both average and next available appointments taking around seven months.
Other cities
Hyderabad and New Delhi's timelines
Hyderabad has an average wait time of five months for a B1/B2 visitor visa, but the next available appointment is further out at eight months. Meanwhile, New Delhi's average wait time is also five months, with the next available interview slot taking about seven months.
Visa categories
Student, work visa categories have shorter queues
For student and exchange visas (F, M, J categories), Indian cities have much shorter wait times. Chennai has availability in around one month while Mumbai and New Delhi also report similar timelines. Work visa categories like H, L, O, P Q also have shorter queues with most Indian cities reporting availability within just one to three months.
Clarification
What does State Department say?
The State Department clarified that the "next available appointment" is an estimate of when an interview slot can be secured, while the "average wait time" measures how long the applicants waited last month from fee payment to interview date. It also noted that the new appointment slots are released regularly, and applicants may be able to reschedule for an earlier date if availability improves.