Immigration News - Global visa wait times, United States United States | Global visa wait times as of May 18 Share this article LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) May 20, 2026 The State Department updated global visa wait times on May 18, 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. May 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. The current report data is compared against the April global visa wait times report. Some of the cities/posts with the longest average wait times for work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) for this reporting period include: Abu Dhabi (14.5 months), Abuja (5.5. months), Lilongwe (4.5 months) and Kuwait (4 months). The Canadian cities overall showed a reduction in wait times from April with Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec and Vancouver each showing wait times of 4 months. Beijing (3.5 months), Guangzhou (<0.5 months) and Shanghai (<0.5 months) wait times remained the same as last month. Mumbai/Bombay (1.5 months) and New Delhi (2 months) wait times increased slightly from last month. Kolkata (1 month) and Hyderabad (3 months) wait times remained the same as last reporting period. Chennai/Madras’ wait time is currently reported as “NA.” Some of the cities/posts with the longest average wait times for interview-required B-1/B-2 visas for this reporting period include: Toronto (20.5 months), Vancouver (12 months), Bogota (11 months), Ottawa (10.5 months), Calgary (8.5 months) and Jerusalem (8 months). Wait times for most of India’s cities/posts ranged from 5.5 months to 7.5 months. Kolkata was the only city that showed a month-over-month decrease with wait times sharply dropping from 7 months to 4.5 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 2 months 3.5 months 3.5 months Chennai (Madras) 5.5 months NA NA NA Ciudad Juarez 6 months 10.5 months <0.5 months 1.5 months Guatemala City 3.5 months <0.5 months <0.5 months <0.5 months Hermosillo 4.5 months 5.5 months 1 month 1 month Ho Chi Minh City NA 1 month 1 month 1 month Hyderabad 6.5 months 7 months 2.5 months 3 months Mexico City 7 months 3.5 months 1 month 1 month Mumbai (Bombay) 7.5 months 7.5 months 2 months 1.5 months New Delhi 5.5 months 8 months 2 months 2 months Shanghai NA 2 months 2.5 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. 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.