Immigration News - Global visa wait times, United States United States | Global visa wait times as of March 27 Share this article LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) March 30, 2026 The State Department updated global visa wait times on March 27, 2026. The average wait times reported do not guarantee a visa applicant will get an appointment within a specific time. U.S. embassies and consulates regularly release additional appointment slots. Applicants who want an earlier appointment slot after initially scheduling their interview should check back frequently and move their appointment to another slot if available. March 2026 global visa wait times chart highlights The following are selected chart highlights from the latest global visa wait times of some of the cities/posts that historically have the most visa issuances compared with the February global visa wait time report: The cities/posts with the longest average wait times for work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) for this reporting period include: Ottawa (5.5 months), Quebec (5.5 months), Lilongwe (4.5 months) and Kuwait (4 months). Beijing wait times increased from 1.5 months to 2.5 months, and New Delhi showed a slight increase from less than 0.5 months to 1 month. Mumbai’s wait times slightly decreased from 1.5 months to 1 month. In February’s report, Chennai/Madras showed wait times of 2 months but is currently showing “not available” during this reporting period. The cities/posts with the longest average wait times for interview-required B-1/B-2 visas for this reporting period include: Toronto (17 months), Calgary (12.5 months), Vancouver (12.5 months), Ottawa (11 months) and Bogota (10.5 months). Wait times for most of India’s cities/posts exceeded more than 5 months, with Mumbai/Bombay experiencing the longest wait times at 9 months. City/Post Interview required B-1/B-2 visas average wait times Interview required B-1/B-2 visas next available appointment Interview required F, M, J visas next available appointment Interview required petition-based H, L, O, P, Q visas next available appointment Beijing NA <0.5 months 2 months 2.5 months Chennai (Madras) 3.5 months 3 months NA NA Ciudad Juarez 5 months 11.5 months <0.5 months 2 months Guatemala City NA 1.5 months <0.5 months <0.5 months Hermosillo 4 months 1.5 months 1.5 months <0.5 months Ho Chi Minh City NA <0.5 months <0.5 months <0.5 months Hyderabad 6.5 months 8 months 2.5 months 3 months Mexico City 5.5 months 1.5 months 1 month 1 month Mumbai (Bombay) 9 months 9 months 2 months 1 month New Delhi 5.5 months 7 months <0.5 months 1 month Shanghai NA 3.5 months 3.5 months <0.5 months Additional Information: More details on the different visa categories referenced in the table can be found here. Wait times are calculated in months in 30-day increments and half-months in 15-day increments. Average wait times are provided for B-1/B-2 visas only in cases where the next available appointment is more than three months away. Post-specific instructions are available on the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where the applicant schedules their interview. There may be limitations on how many times they can reschedule an appointment. Appointment calendar access for a specific post may not be accessible until the DS-160 visa application has been submitted and the required fee has been paid. (The fee is typically nontransferable across countries.) Embassies and consulates may waive the in-person interview requirement for eligible applicants. Wait times for these appointments are not reflected in the visa wait timetables. Please check the individual U.S. embassy or consulate website to find out if a waiver of the in-person interview is available. Interview waiver eligibility was last updated on Sept. 18, 2025, and became effective Oct. 1, 2025. This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group. Copyright © 2026 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.