us tourist visa waiting time kolkata

Indians face up to 3-year waits for U.S. tourist visas as consulates on the subcontinent are in disarray

In a Facebook group filled with almost 25,000 South Asians looking to travel to the U.S., daily anonymous posts fly in by the hundreds. 

“I am looking for B1/ B2 visa appointment in the next year,” one person wrote. 

Dozens of commenters underneath the appeal affirm its message: “Me too,” “Looking for my parents,” “The earliest one I’m seeing is for 2025.” 

The mass scramble is the result of record-long wait times for Indian nationals trying to get a tourist visa to the U.S., according to experts.

Waiting periods at American consulates in India range from a few months to several years just to secure an interview. A simple visit for the holiday season would sometimes require almost three years of advanced planning for someone who doesn’t already hold a visa.

Immigration economists say beyond the personal damage this is causing to families, the inaccessibility has the potential to stymie Indian immigration to the United States overall. 

“This is clearly a broken system,” said Gaurav Khanna, an assistant professor of economics at the University of California at San Diego, whose research focuses on immigration. “Grandparents haven’t seen grandkids in four years because of Covid, and now they can’t get visas. That affects how welcome the Indian diaspora themselves feel in the U.S. ‘If my family can’t come visit us, I don’t think my life in the U.S. is as rewarding as I was promised.’”

In some Indian cities, like Chennai and Hyderabad, the wait time for a tourist visa interview is 999 days, according to numbers released by the U.S. State Department, which far exceeds the global median wait time of two months. In Kolkata, the wait is 959 days. Other consulates are only taking appointments for emergency tourist visas, which experts suspect have a shorter backlog of their own. 

“Just from a pure management, organizational point of view, it seems like a completely dysfunctional system,” Khanna said. 

NBC News reached out to the State Department and has not received a response. In a statement released last month , they acknowledged prolonged wait times across the globe.

“The Department of State is successfully lowering visa interview wait times worldwide,” the statement said. “We have doubled our hiring of U.S. Foreign Service personnel to do this important work, visa processing is rebounding faster than projected, and in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 we expect to reach pre‑pandemic visa processing levels.”

According to Julia Gelatt, a senior analyst with the Migration Policy Institute, the disarray stems from travel moratoriums and hiring freezes during the height of the pandemic that left thousands of visas backlogged. The State Department cites staffing issues which it is trying to remedy, but Gelatt says it won't be a quick process.

“The State Department says that they’re doubling their hiring and they’re training up staff,” Gelatt said. “But it takes a while to staff consulates because they’re teaching Americans new languages and giving them lots of training before they’re put in their posts.”

But the Covid explanation isn’t satisfactory for Khanna.

“Most countries have had Covid-related backlogs and staffing issues,” he said. “At some point staffing issues are a sign of dysfunction…It’s fairly easy to get a visa to come to India from the U.S. People just have to wait a few weeks. But the other way around it takes a very long time. It shows that efficient systems can exist to grant visas.”

As the consulates’ backlogs continue to grow and available appointments stretch years into the future, some are taking matters into their own hands. On Facebook and WhatsApp, some South Asian organizations are offering people a back channel to earlier interview times, Khanna has observed. 

Dozens of social media groups dedicated to solving visa issues have cropped up this year alone , with admins flaunting successful early interview appointment bookings and encouraging members to direct-message them for help. Often marketed as "visa consulting," or "interview early date help," they reserve upcoming appointments in large numbers, then cancel and sell the slots to desperate travelers willing to spend the money, Khanna said. 

“That’s, again, a sign that there’s something wrong with the system here,” he said. “People who get in touch with these groups can pay a lot of money to get a quicker appointment. That’s really exacerbating the problem. But people are willing to pay.”

Khanna says they’re capitalizing off a lack of clarity behind the processes and complications that often arise when trying to get even a short-term U.S. visa. 

It adds another financial barrier to entry for lower-income South Asians trying to visit the United States, Khanna said. 

“It’s not equitable,” he said. “The consulates are saying it’s a staffing issue. Essentially, that’s another way of saying, ‘we haven’t gotten our act together.’ It’s not an excuse in any way.”

Khanna said families will continue to go years without seeing each other and America’s image as a haven for Indian immigrants has the potential to deteriorate. 

“As it is, they’re leaving their family on the other side of the world and now it’s difficult for their family to come visit,” he said. “That has impacts that are not just related to tourism. It has impacts on where the diaspora are willing to settle down. Do we want to be in a place like the U.S. where our family finds it so difficult to visit?”

Sakshi Venkatraman is a reporter for NBC Asian America.

The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

Your long wait for us tourist visa appointments is finally over.

There have been a growing concerns in India over the long waiting period for first time visa applicants, especially for those applying under B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) categories. The waiting period of first time B1/B2 visa applicants in India was close to 1,000 days in October last year.

H-1B visa registrations have closed, and cap for FY 2024 reached. What happens next?

Bill to reform H-1B and L-1 visa programmes introduced in US Senate

Wrong to assume fired H-1B holders must leave within 60 days, multiple options available, says USCIS director

Why a non-capped H-1B visa might be your best bet to fulfill your American dream

Read More News on

Warren Buffett is selling Apple shares to hold on to cash. What does he see that others don’t?

Weapon systems that can arm India: Lessons from Russia-Ukraine, Gaza

The 96% of Indians that need an economic push

The curious case of disappearing craft beers

Hang Seng soars 30% in 2024: Are battered Chinese stocks back in favour?

Railways stocks: Stay bullish, just hedge a bit to avoid mistake of selling in haste: 7 outperforming railways stocks across different segments

Find this comment offensive?

Choose your reason below and click on the Report button. This will alert our moderators to take action

Reason for reporting:

Your Reason has been Reported to the admin.

To post this comment you must

Log In/Connect with:

Fill in your details:

Will be displayed

Will not be displayed

Share this Comment:

Uh-oh this is an exclusive story available for selected readers only..

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Login using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

To read full story, subscribe to ET Prime

₹34 per week

Billed annually at ₹2499 ₹1749

Super Saver Sale - Flat 30% Off

On ET Prime Membership

Unlock this story and enjoy all members-only benefits.

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

6th Anniversary Offer

Get flat 20% off on ETPrime

90 Days Prime access worth Rs999 unlocked for you

Exclusive Economic Times Stories, Editorials & Expert opinion across 20+ sectors

Stock analysis. Market Research. Industry Trends on 4000+ Stocks

​Get 1 Year Complimentary Subscription of TOI+ worth Rs.799/-​

Stories you might be interested in

• Tata Motors share price
• 952.95 0.76%
• Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
• 316.85 1.12%
• Tata Steel share price
• 167.90 0.39%
• ITC share price
• 436.50 -0.02%
• State Bank Of India share price
• 821.30 0.42%

Amid 2 yrs wait time, you can get US visa in just one week. Here's what to do

Thailand has opened b1/b2 appointment capacity for indians and the wait time there is just about 14 days..

In order to cut down the US visa wait time from India, the United States has taken several measures in the past few months. And in the latest move, it has proposed that travellers who cannot afford to wait for long can now apply for US visas from embassies in other countries.

After pandemic-related travel restrictions were lifted, India saw a massive rise in visa applications owing to which visa wait time increased significantly. Currently, in some cities, the US visa wait time is almost 2 years. But, in case a traveller opts to apply for a visa from another country (specific few), the wait time can down to almost one week.

What is the estimated US visa wait time from different cities?

If you are applying for B1/B2 visas, then the wait time from New Delhi is 596 days, Chennai is 625 days, from Mumbai, it is 638 days and if you apply from Kolkata, it is 589 days

In a bid to provide some relief to travellers who can't wait that long, the US Embassy in India said that they can apply for the same via a third country. The embassy has also informed us that Thailand has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians and the wait time there is just about 14 days.

"Do you have upcoming international travel? If so, you may be able to get a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your destination. For example, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians who will be in Thailand in the coming months," the US embassy said in a tweet.

Here is a list of countries from where the visa wait time is much shorter:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 23 days

Hong Kong: 2 days

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: 7 days

Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand: 14 days

Kuwait: 1 day

Singapore: 7 days

Frankfurt, Germany: 17 days

Doha, Qatar: 30 days

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: 53 days

Melbourne, Australia: 58 days

London, UK: 78 days

The time mentioned above are only for B1/B2 applicants who require to attend an interview.

Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed - it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Wait for it…

Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment.

You are just one step away from creating your watchlist!

Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.

Your session has expired, please login again.

Congratulations!

You are now subscribed to our newsletters. In case you can’t find any email from our side, please check the spam folder.

Subscribe to continue

This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp

Open Demat Account and Get Best Offers

Start Investing in Stocks, Mutual Funds, IPOs, and more

• Please enter valid name
• Please enter valid mobile number
• Please enter valid email
• Select Location

I'm interested in opening a Trading and Demat Account and am comfortable with the online account opening process. I'm open to receiving promotional messages through various channels, including calls, emails & SMS.

The team will get in touch with you shortly

• Destinations
• Hotels & Homestays
• Food & Drink
• People & Culture
• Mindful Travel
• Readers' Travel Awards
• Escape to Rajasthan
• READERS TRAVEL AWARDS
• #LOVEGREATBRITAIN
• TAJ SAFARIS
• BOUTIQUE HOTELS
• CNT TOP RESTAURANT AWARDS
• DESTINATION WEDDING GUIDE
• DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT IT
• #UNDISCOVERAUSTRALIA
• ESSENTIALLY RAJASTHAN

US, UK and Schengen visas: What is the wait time?

By Condé Nast Traveller

Nearly years after the onset of the pandemic, embassies are struggling to provide visas to visitors and students on time. The wait time for US visas has gone up by over a year, which means you could get your US visa in March or April 2024. Some countries in the Schengen region have no slots available for appointments. The UK government has advised Indians to purchase a ticket only after they have received their visa. Here’s how long it could take you to get your visa.

Earlier in February when US visa slots opened up, the wait time for application for fresh US visas was till 2023. Now, the average wait time for a US visa in India has gone up to one-and-a-half years, according to the US State Department Website. This means if you apply now, you may receive your visa in March-April 2024.

When we checked on Thursday afternoon, the wait time for a visitor visa in New Delhi was 582 calendar days and 471 days for student visas. In Mumbai, it was 580 calendar days for a tourist visa and 12 days for a student visa. In Kolkata, the wait time for a visa appointment was 587 days and 2 days for a student visa, whereas in Chennai it was 513 calendar days and 8 days for a student visa. In Hyderabad, you will have to wait 510 calendar days for a visitor visa and 471 days for a student visa. 

According to the official UK website, visitor visas, including standard visitor visas are taking about 7 weeks to process. “We are working hard to process applications to get back to a 3-week standard,” states the website . However, the embassy is facing unprecedented delays on visas. Therefore visitors have been advised to buy their tickets only after they have received their visa. The UK is also receiving an unprecedented number of student visa applications this year. Britain's High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said they are doing everything possible to ensure that these students get their visas on time. The UK High Commission in Delhi tweeted on Saturday that they have opened priority and super priority visas for students as well.

Schengen visa

Several Schengen countries currently do not have any slots available for appointments. When we checked on the VFS website on Thursday morning, Italy did not have any slots available in Mumbai or Bengaluru. The earliest slot available for the country is in Delhi on 29 August. Switzerland has slots open in September-end. Currently, Sweden has appointments as early as next week. For France, the earliest available date in Mumbai and Delhi is 28 September, whereas in Bengaluru no slots are available. Spain has appointments available in Mumbai as early as 24 August.

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Create Account

When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: June 2024

Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process . If you already have a petition filed or approved on your behalf, you may have to wait for an available visa in your category (if applicable) before you can file your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status . This page will help you determine when to file your adjustment of status application.

When to File

Use the Visa Bulletin charts below to determine when to file your adjustment of status application.

To use the charts:

• Find your visa type in the first column (on the left) of the appropriate chart (Family-sponsored or Employment-based).
• Stay in that row and move directly to the right to find the corresponding date under the country of your birth (as listed in the boldface columns across the top).
• If the date on the chart is current (“C”), or your priority date is earlier than the date on the chart, you may file your adjustment of status application, if otherwise eligible to do so.
• “U” means unauthorized; for example, numbers are not authorized for issuance.

Your priority date is generally the date when your relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on your behalf with USCIS. If a labor certification is required to be filed with your immigrant visa petition, the priority date is the date the labor certification application was accepted for processing by the Department of Labor.

About the Visa Bulletin

DOS publishes current immigrant visa availability information in a monthly Visa Bulletin . The Visa Bulletin indicates when statutorily limited visas are available for issuance to prospective immigrants based on their individual priority date.

On Nov. 20, 2014, the Secretary of Homeland Security directed USCIS to work with DOS to:

• Ensure that all immigrant visas authorized by Congress are issued to eligible individuals when there is sufficient demand for such visas, and
• Improve the Visa Bulletin system for determining when immigrant visas are available to applicants during the fiscal year.

Additionally, in July 2015, the Administration issued its report on Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century (PDF) . This report included detailed recommendations to revise and update the monthly Visa Bulletin to better estimate immigrant visa availability and provide needed predictability to nonimmigrant workers seeking permanent residency.

USCIS, in coordination with DOS, revised the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for adjustment of status. The revised process will better align with procedures DOS uses for noncitizens who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.

This revised process will enhance DOS’s ability to more accurately predict overall immigrant visa demand in determining the cut-off dates for the Visa Bulletin. This will help ensure that the maximum number of immigrant visas are issued annually as intended by Congress, and minimize month-to-month fluctuations in Visa Bulletin final action dates. Additional goals are outlined in the White House report, Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century (PDF) .

New Visa Bulletin Charts

The Visa Bulletin will now have two different charts because of the revised procedures. DOS will post two charts per visa preference category in the DOS Visa Bulletin. The charts are:

• Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may finally be issued); and
• Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).

When USCIS determines there are immigrant visas available for the filing of additional adjustment of status applications, the Dates for Filing Applications chart may be used to determine when to file an adjustment of status application with USCIS. Otherwise, the Application Final Action Dates chart must be used to determine when to file an adjustment of status application with USCIS.

In coordination with the DOS, USCIS will monitor visa numbers each month and post the relevant chart on this page under When to File.

Determining Visa Availability

USCIS considers several factors to determine if there is a greater supply of visas than the demand for those visas. To determine visa availability, USCIS will compare the number of visas available for the remainder of the fiscal year with:

• Documentarily qualified visa applications reported by DOS;
• Pending adjustment of status applications reported by USCIS; and
• Historical drop off rate of applicants for adjustment of status (for example, denials, withdrawals and abandonments)

ETV Bharat   /   international

US Student Visa Interview Dates Released. Check Here.

By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : May 8, 2024, 12:33 PM IST

According to a representative of the US consulate, the slots for the US student visa interviews will be made available for June slots in the third week of this month followed by July, and as per requirement for August. ETV Bharat has already reported that the US government has decided to release interview slots for student visa on a large scale.

Hyderabad: In a pleasing development for Indian students who want to pursue higher education in the US, the American government has released the student visa interview time slots till the 31st of this month. Students can book these slots online to attend interviews at the US Embassy in Delhi as well as consulate offices in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

As already reported by ETV Bharat on May 3, the US government has decided to release interview slots for student visas on a large scale this time. A representative of the US consulate told ETV Bharat that the slots will be made available in a phased manner. Interview dates will be released for June slots in the third week of this month, then for July, and as per requirement for August. The fall season of the semester academic year in America starts in August-September every year. In this season, a large number of students from Telugu states will be applying for admission to the universities in the US.

Registration Open on Sundays

As part of the visa process, the United States implements a fingerprinting process followed by a face-to-face interview. The American Embassy and all consulate offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. However, in view of the rush of students, slots have been allocated for registration of fingerprints on Saturdays and Sundays on the 19th and 26th of this month.

Tourist Visas in October?

Once the process of student visas is completed, tourist visa (B1, B2) slots will be available for the applicants. Officials expect the process of student visas to be completed by the last week of August or the second week of September. The tourist visa slots are expected to be issued in the last week of September or in October. The US presidential election will be held in November. The country plans to complete the tourist visa process earlier.

Read more: US claims making 'huge push' to process more visa applications in India, calls it 'top priority' Wait time for US visitor's visa interview in India cut by 60 pc this year

Quick Links / Policies

• PRIVACY POLICY
• CODE OF ETHICS
• TERMS & CONDITIONS

Please write to us, for media partnership and Ad-sales inquiries. Email: [email protected]

Jaipur's Himmat Singh Lives Up to His Name, Climbs 70,679 Stairs To Have A Crack at Guinness World Record

Us-pakistan relations: shift in us policy, as summers simmer, here's how you can protect yourself from heat wave, the unfortunate reality of india's anti-defection law.

Copyright © 2024 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., All Rights Reserved.

World Cup 2026: Concerns over fans’ U.S. visa wait times – ‘Your window might already be closed’

Concerns have been raised with the United States government, including an official meeting in the White House, over fears supporters may be deterred from the 2026 men’s World Cup owing to excessive wait times to process visa applications to visit the country.

The tournament begins in 777 days and it will be at least another 18 months before many countries will be assured of qualification, yet the wait times for U.S. visa interviews in two Mexican cities are already in excess of 800 days, while it is 685 days in the Colombian capital of Bogota.

Advertisement

In a statement to The Athletic , the U.S. Department of State (which oversees international relations) insisted it is determined to reduce wait times but also encouraged supporters in affected countries to start applying for visas now, over two years out from the tournament and with the line-up still unknown.

The 2026 edition of world football’s governing body FIFA ’s flagship tournament will include 48 nations for the first time and will be held in 16 cities in the U.S, Canada and Mexico.

It will also be the first World Cup without an overarching local organising committee, which means FIFA is tasked with pulling everything together, in conjunction with the many layers of stakeholders and bureaucracy across three nations and 16 host cities, each of which have differing levels of private and taxpayer support.

The three host countries also have differing entry criteria for visitors, which has the potential to create visa confusion for fans seeking to follow their team deep into the tournament across multiple borders.

Several host cities, including the location for the final — New York/New Jersey — are also concerned about the wait times for visas, and the potential impact on income from tourism during the tournament, but the cities are currently allowing FIFA and the travel industry to lead the conversations with the government. Some of those who have spoken to The Athletic wished to remain anonymous, owing either to sensitivity around discussions or to protect working relationships.

Travis Murphy is the founder of Jetr Global Sports + Entertainment and a former American diplomat who also once ran international government affairs for the NBA .

“My concern is this could be a disaster (in 2026),” he said. “The concerns are absolutely there on the city level. The cities are thinking, ‘They are FIFA, so they must have it under control.’ But when you realise how FIFA worked in the past with previous hosts in Qatar and Russia, it doesn’t necessarily work in the United States.

“We’re just a completely different animal in terms of how our government operates and how we communicate. And frankly, the emphasis that we place on soccer as a sport in our country.

“If this was the Super Bowl, the World Series or the NBA finals, we’d be having a different conversation. Soccer is not the biggest sport in our country. And I think that’s a fundamental lack of understanding by FIFA, perhaps just taking it for granted that it is the case everywhere in the world. But it’s not yet in the United States.”

In recent months, U.S. travel industry representatives and FIFA have raised concerns with the U.S. Department of State and the White House as the respective groups seek to organise how millions of tourists will enter the U.S. during the five-week tournament in June and July 2026. In January 2024, FIFA strengthened its staff in D.C. when it hired Alex Sopko, the former chief of staff for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, to be its new Director of Government Relations.

In a statement to The Athletic , a FIFA spokesperson said the organisation is working closely with U.S. Government in the planning and preparation for the World Cup, including regular discussions on critical topics such as immigration and visas, and adding it recognises “the urgency of these matters.”

The visa delays ahead of the World Cup were raised in a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, April 17, with senior administration officials in conversation with the United States Travel Association (U.S. Travel).  

Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of U.S. Travel, was present in the meeting. He describes visa wait times as a “massive issue” but added: “We came away confident that the White House recognises the significance of the 2026 World Cup and will take concrete steps to streamline aspects of the travel experience for the more than eight million anticipated visitors.”

Freely available data on the website of the Department of Consular affairs details the lengthy wait times currently impacting visitor visas from markets that may be highly relevant during the World Cup, which begins in 778 days.

Forty-one countries, including much of Europe, Japan, South Korea and Australia, are part of a visa waiver programme — ESTA — to enter the United States, which means citizens of these countries can travel without obtaining a visa, so as long as their trip for tourism or business does not exceed 90 days.

However, many people, estimated by U.S. Travel to represent 45 per cent of those who visit the States, do require visas for entry. These documents, called a B1/B2 visa, also require in-person appointments at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to take digital photographs and fingerprints, as well as an interview, in which the candidate must state their intention to return to their home countries and explain their reasons for visiting the United States.

Wait times for a visa interview at a U.S. consulate in the Mexican cities of Mexico City and Guadalajara are currently 878 days and 820 days respectively, so an application made today may not be approved before the World Cup begins. In the Colombian capital of Bogota, the current wait time is 685 days, while Panama City is 477 days and Quito in Ecuador is 420.

The 2026 World Cup is guaranteed to include the U.S, Mexico and Canada as hosts but five more nations may yet qualify from North and Central America, while up to seven may enter from the South American Football Confederation. Wait times are also dramatic in the Turkish city of Istanbul, where it takes 553 days for an appointment, as well as in Morocco, semi-finalists at the World Cup in 2022, where the wait time is 225 days.

In a statement to The Athletic, the state department said: “We encourage prospective FIFA World Cup visitors who will need U.S. visas to apply now – there is no requirement to have purchased event tickets, made hotel reservations, or reserved airline tickets to qualify for a visitor visa.”

Freeman attributes the current visa delays to the shutdown of consular offices during the coronavirus pandemic but also outlines long-standing issues.

“The U.S. is the world’s most desired nation to visit, but our market share is slipping and it’s in a large part due to long visa wait times,” he said. “If you are Colombian and want to come and bring your kids in 2026, your window might already be closed.”

A World Cup is further complicated because many supporters may wait until their nations have secured qualification to organise their trip. For the Americas, this will largely be in winter 2025 — the play-offs may be as late as March 2026 — while nations will only know the cities in which their teams will be competing following the draw, which is usually held eight months out from the tournament.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, visitors were able to expedite their entry into the country by applying for a Hayya card, effectively a fan pass for World Cup ticket holders that acted as a visa for the tournament. A repeat pass is not expected to be approved by the U.S, particularly at a time of global tensions both in the Middle East and following Russia ’s invasion of and continued war against Ukraine .

Freeman warned: “The U.S. is not going to change its visa policies in the short term to frankly cater to FIFA. I think where you may see the U.S. adjust some of its approach is in cooperation with Mexico and Canada . So once teams have qualified within the tournament, how do we streamline their ability to cross borders and attend games in other markets later in the tournament? I believe that’s where there will be greater cooperation and some of those discussions are already taking place.”

The answer may simply be additional staff and investment, such as deploying more consular officers at embassies, a method which has helped significantly reduce wait times from Brazil and India over the past year. Congress set aside $50million for the U.S. State Department to “reduce passport backlogs and reduce visa wait times” in a bill signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden in March but it was not specified how and where the money will be invested.

There is a precedent for visa issues causing delays at major international sporting events in the United States. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who set the African 100metres record of 9.77 seconds in 2021, only received his visa documentation the day before the men’s 100 metres heats began at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in 2022.

After securing his visa in Kenya, he took a five-hour flight to Qatar, endured a six-hour layover, then a 14-hour flight to Seattle, another three-hour layover and last of all, a one-hour flight to Oregon. He landed at 4.15 pm and immediately went to the track, where the heats commenced at 6.50pm.

The sprinter said: “If you are hosting a championship, you need to waive (visa requirements) for athletes. It’s a lesson for the host country in the future, and the U.S. is hosting the Olympics in 2028 (in Los Angeles), so they need to learn from this and do better next time.”

Murphy added: “There were hundreds of athletes who were unable to travel. The World Athletics Championships was was a relatively small event compared to the magnitude of what we’re talking about with the 48-team World Cup and the millions and millions of people involved, in terms of what needs to happen.”

Playing rosters are usually only approved in the final months before a tournament, but the U.S. is expected to expedite processing to ensure players and support staff from federations are able to arrive in time for the World Cup.

The U.S. Department of State attributes the issues at World Athletics to the pressures felt by consular officers coming out of the pandemic and told The Athletic that wait times for “P-visas”, generally used by members of professional sports teams coming to participate in athletic competitions, are “low worldwide”.

Murphy said the National Security Council has established a working committee on the matter for the White House but caveated his optimism with a reminder that more instant priorities are Israel, Gaza and Ukraine. He said: “This is not a priority beyond the host cities, FIFA itself and the members of Congress who represent those host cities. But in terms of there being a broad approach that is all-encompassing and has a wide swath of support in Congress, there’s just nothing there. There’s no bills or initiatives in Congress that are focused on this.”

He added: “The conversations that needed to have started a year plus ago are not at a point where they need to be. And when you’re talking about the U.S. Government, it is essentially at a state of standstill in terms of any major movement that needs to happen from now until November of this year (when there is a Presidential election).”

The Department of State insisted it is “committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States while maintaining high national security standards.”

Its statement continued: “We are pleased to be an active participant in a working group with FIFA and other stakeholders on plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Bureau of Consular Affairs recognizes the importance of international inbound tourism, including for mega sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, and is working tirelessly to facilitate secure travel to the United States. We have significantly reduced visa wait times over the past two years.”

One of the peculiarities of the U.S. political system is that there is no sports ministry to facilitate such discussions. In its absence, Murphy calls for a special envoy to be appointed, with the World Cup likely to be followed by the women’s edition in 2027 before the Olympics in LA in 2028.

He said: “There has to be somebody centralised to organise those conversations. That’s relatively easy to do. If it’s somebody that has the respect and attention of the cabinet agencies, they can have a conversation with Capitol Hill and that’s going to go a long way to getting things done.”

(Top photo: Patrick Smith/FIFA via Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

Adam Crafton covers football for The Athletic. He previously wrote for the Daily Mail. In 2018, he was named the Young Sports Writer of the Year by the Sports' Journalist Association. His debut book,"From Guernica to Guardiola", charting the influence of Spaniards in English football, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2018. He is based in London.

Security Alert May 17, 2024

Worldwide caution, update may 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents, u.s. visa law & policy.

Judicial Assistance Country Information

Share this page:

The Visa Bulletin

Visa Statistics

Laws & Regulations

Accepting, Serving in, or Performing Duties of a Position with the Government of a Foreign State - Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Sectioin 349(a)(4)

Loss of U.S. Nationality and Service in the Armed Forces of a Foreign State - Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 349(a)(3)

Visa Bulletin For June 2024

Number 90 Volume X Washington, D.C

View as Printer Friendly PDF

A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during June  for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at  www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo , individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin. 

1.  Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by May 2nd . If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

2.  The fiscal year 2024 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is 226,000.  The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000.  Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620.  The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3.  INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa issuances will exceed the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas:  CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES. 

4.  Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows: 

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First : ( F1 ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second : Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents:  114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. ( F2A ) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents:  77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. ( F2B ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents:  23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third : ( F3 ) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth : ( F4 ) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens:  65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

A.   FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)

For June, F2A numbers  EXEMPT from per-country limit  are authorized for issuance to applicants from all countries with priority dates  earlier  than 01FEB21. F2A numbers  SUBJECT to per-country limit  are authorized for issuance to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO , with priority dates beginning 01FEB21 and earlier than 15NOV21. All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit.

B.  DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart below may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file applications, regardless of priority date.

The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 4.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS. 

5.  Section 203(b) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Employment-based immigrant visas as follows: 

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First :  Priority Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second :  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third :  Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "*Other Workers".

Fourth :  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth :  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, of which 32% are reserved as follows: 20% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a rural area; 10% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a high unemployment area; and 2% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% are unreserved and are allotted for all other qualified immigrants.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW final action date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002. For Fiscal Year 2024 this reduction will be limited to approximately 150.

B.  DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 5.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS. 

B .   DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years.  The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program.  Visa numbers made available to NACARA applicants in FY 2023 will result in reduction of the DV-2024 annual limit to approximately 54,850.  Section 5104 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 amended the NACARA’s provisions on the Diversity Visa program such that the number of visas made available under the NDAA will be deducted from the 55,000 DVs annually allocated.  These amendments will not impact the number of diversity visas available until FY 2025.  DVs are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

For June , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2024 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers  BELOW  the specified allocation cut-off number:

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2024 program ends as of September 30, 2024. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2024 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2024 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2024. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2024 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.

C.   THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JULY

For July , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2024 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers  BELOW  the specified allocation cut-off number:

D.   VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND (EB-2) PREFERENCE CATEGORY

High demand in the Employment Second category will most likely necessitate retrogression of the worldwide final action date (including Mexico and Philippines) in the next month to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2024 annual limit. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.

E.   VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD (EB-3) PREFERENCE CATEGORY

High demand in the Employment Third category will most likely necessitate retrogression of the worldwide final action date (including Mexico and Philippines) in the next month to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2024 annual limit. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly. 

F.   U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA.  This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs.  Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.

G.   FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV

Department of State Publication 9514

CA/VO: May 2, 2024

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked