The U.S. State Department has made “substantive progress” in helping to reduce visitor visa wait times, though long waits remain the norm in key markets, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
The organization’s analysis showed that the global average wait time for U.S. visas now is below 150 days, the lowest level since 2021. Biden administration policies, such as waiving interview requirements for low-risk renewals, and such programs as opening embassies and consulates on Saturdays to process visas has helped to cut the wait time, according to U.S. Travel.
However, the organization noted that wait times in the top 10 markets from which the U.S. requires visa for travel, excluding China, still average about 400 days. Some of those markets have seen “measurable progress,” including Brazil, Mexico and India, the latter of which saw wait times drop from 999 days in mid-December to 577 days as of last week.
The State Department expects it will be fully staffed by this summer and plans to have wait times under 120 days by the end of the current fiscal year, but that is still about “what the economy needs for robust inbound travel recovery,” according to the organization. “While we appreciate [the State Department’s] efforts, much work remains to bring interview wait times down to an acceptable level,” U.S. Travel president and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement.
