Since interview wait times for B1 (business visas) and B2 (tourist visas) in India vary between 15 and 20 months, the US Consulate in Frankfurt has reserved interview dates for nonimmigrant visas specifically for Indian applicants, according to a published report by The Times of India.

In India, the waiting time for a B1/B2 interview appointment varies from state to state. In Kolkata, the waiting time is 607 days while in Mumbai it is 571 days, followed by 486 days in Chennai and 441 days in Hyderabad. For Frankfurt the waiting time is only three days.

As part of initiatives to reduce the backlog, Indians were allowed to apply at US consulates abroad, such as in Bangkok, last year. The backlog has been reduced through a series of steps, whereas it had almost tripled last winter. TOI reported.

Additionally, Indian applicants are witnessing various glitches in a new portal for scheduling interviews for nonimmigrant visas. Speak with TOI, A US Embassy official said the government is trying to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.

Since the start of the fiscal year, the US Mission in India has issued over 3.3 lakh petition temporary employment visas, up 71% from the same period in 2019.

The US Embassy official said that across all non-immigrant visa categories in India, interview wait times are close to pre-pandemic levels. “We have significantly increased the number of visas issued across the board… Wait times for travelers who do not require an interview are very low,” the official said TOI.

He said the U.S. Embassy is closely monitoring reports of technical issues with the nonimmigrant visa appointment website. He also assured that the issues would be resolved as quickly as possible.