Individuals seeking US non-immigrant visas must now schedule their interviews within their country of citizenship or legal residency, with exceptions only where the US does not regularly offer visa services. This change prevents Indian citizens from using alternative countries to expedite their B1 (business) or B2 (tourist) visa applications, a practice used during the COVID-19 pandemic when wait times in India were excessive.
Non-immigrant visas encompass visas for tourists, business travelers, students, temporary workers, and those engaged to US citizens. The US State Department has confirmed that this rule is worldwide and effective immediately. Currently, the wait time in India for a B1/B2 visa interview is roughly 3.5 months in Hyderabad and Mumbai, 4.5 months in Delhi, 5 months in Kolkata, and 9 months in Chennai.