Applicants applying through the
You may be eligible to apply for a U.S. visa without an interview if you have had a prior visa. Please see below. Currently, we are accepting Interview Waiver applications only for crew members (C1/D) from international airlines and cruise/ships and students (F-1).
How long does it take to get an appointment? Although NVC strives to schedule appointments within three months of NVC's acceptance of all requested documentation, this timeframe is subject to the operating status and capacity of the consular section.
While the wait times in Mumbai (332 days) and Kolkata (357 days) have dropped below a year, applicants opting for Chennai may still need to wait for almost two years, 680 days to be exact, for their B1/B2 visa appointments.
The combination of pent-up demand from the past two years combined with regular seasonal demand has resulted in extended wait times for U.S. visa interview appointments in some locations – most notably for first-time visitor visa applicants and immigrant visa applicants in some countries.
Unlike many other countries, they do not need a visitor visa to enter the USA. Instead, they only need to apply online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a very simple and quick process. The application process for an ESTA is very easy and quick.
Australia is one of the countries that is part of the Visa Waiver Program for the United States of America, having been added to the list in 1996. This means that Australian nationals enjoy visa exemption for short-term visits for leisure, business, or transit.
These fee increases are effective May 30, 2023. The application fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s), and other non-petition based NIVs, such as student and exchange visitor visas, has increased from USD$160 to USD$185.
The US student visa (F-1 visa) is one of the fastest visas to process. In fact, the study permit is often processed directly before your embassy interview.
The high number of applicants
Unless you don't have an expedited appointment, your visa interview will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. USCIS selects applicants chronologically. If there is a high number of applicants, everyone could wait a bit longer than estimated for their visa interview.
The U.S. Department of State extended until December 31, 2023, previously approved authorities allowing consular officers to waive the in-person interview for certain H-2 (temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers) applicants; certain students, professors, research scholars, short-term scholars, or ...
All visa applicants require an interview appointment, with the exception of applicants who are applying for official visas and Interview Waiver (IW) cases.
People who qualify to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization do not need to attend an interview. However, those who apply for a US visa, from the age of 14 to the age of 79, have to attend an in-person interview at the US embassy or consulate in their country.
While the H-1B visa is widely known across the globe, Australians have their unique work visa called the E-3 visa. This visa classification is exclusively available to Australian citizens who wish to work in the United States within a specialty occupation.
Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements
Most U.S. passport holders traveling to Australia for tourism or business purposes for less than 90 days can obtain an ETA. The ETA is an electronic label-free visa and can be obtained at the ETA website for a small service fee.
Australian passport holders can travel to 185 international destinations without needing to first apply for a visa, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.
Just like other travel application processes, the processing time is difficult to prognosticate. It could take around four weeks for homeland safety officials to check your B1/B2 visa request form. If you try to get your visa alone, this process could take years even.
It's fair to say that the U.S. visa application process is complex and requires specific information. If the applicant does not meet all requirements for the visa they are applying for, or if they failed to provide the consular with all the required information, it can lead to a visa denial.
The US Embassy at New Delhi has the shortest wait for tourist and business visa appointments, which is 247 days.
The Most Common Reasons For A Visa Denial
Incomplete or inaccurate forms. Insufficient financial proof. False information or misrepresentation. Lack of ties to your home country.
You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov. If your visa has been denied, you may find useful information on Ineligibilities and Waivers on usvisas.state.gov.