U.s. Tightens Visa Process For Indian Applicants: Third‑country Interviews End, Processing Delays Across New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad & Kolkata

Published on September 8, 2025

The caller restrictions announced by nan U.S. State Department people a awesome displacement for Indian applicants. U.S. tightening visa rules for Indian travellers now prohibits scheduling visa interviews extracurricular India—what was erstwhile a applicable action to debar agelong queues is nary longer allowed. As a result, hopeful students, professionals and visitors must use only astatine U.S. negotiated posts successful New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, aliases Kolkata. This alteration heightens waiting periods, adds logistical hurdles, and increases wide costs. In response, applicants are urged to scheme months ahead, show charismatic embassy updates, and hole for a much system question and reply booking process that whitethorn disrupt world aliases activity timelines. Those antecedently reliant connected third‑country slots—especially during highest seasons—must now reconsider their timelines and budgeting arsenic visa processing becomes much concentrated wrong India.

Policy Shift to In‑Country Interview Requirement

Effective immediately, nan U.S. Department of State requires that individuals applying for non‑immigrant visas (NIV) must schedule their question and reply successful their state of citizenship aliases ineligible residence. This efficaciously bars Indian applicants from arranging interviews successful 3rd countries, isolated from successful uncommon cases involving locations wherever regular visa processing is suspended.

Existing Exceptions and Continued Discretion

The norm does not cancel immoderate scheduled appointments and allows uncommon exceptions only for urgent humanitarian aliases negotiated reasons. However, these are granted very sparingly. The argumentation underscores that wide regulations—consistent pinch 22 CFR 41.101—favor scheduling successful nan applicant’s residence jurisdiction.

Escalating Wait Times astatine Indian Visa Posts

Even earlier nan caller restrictions, Indian applicants faced months-long delays. As of July 29, 2025:

• Mumbai & Hyderabad: ~3 months
• New Delhi: ~4½ months
• Kolkata: ~6 months
• Chennai: ~8½ months
  With nan caller centralized request successful India, these delays are apt to worsen without further capacity aliases ratio improvements.

End of Third‑Party Passport Pickup Options

Starting August 1, 2025, U.S. visa applicants successful India must cod their passports successful personification aliases take location transportation for ₹1,200. The erstwhile third-party pickup action is discontinued to fortify security. Official embassy guidance outlines accepted ID documents and requirements for minors done authorities websites.

Elimination of Interview Waivers

The argumentation adjustments person rolled backmost galore antecedently allowed question and reply waivers—based connected property aliases anterior visa validity. Except for a constrictive group of negotiated aliases charismatic categories (e.g., A, G, NATO, definite B1/B2 renewals nether strict conditions), astir applicants now must be in-person interviews.

Current Wait Times astatine U.S. Consulates successful India (As of July 29, 2025)

According to caller information from nan U.S. State Department:

• Chennai: ~260 days (approx. 8.5 months)
• Kolkata: ~180 days
• New Delhi: ~140 days
• Mumbai: ~90 days
• Hyderabad: ~90 days

These numbers tin fluctuate, but applicants should expect extended hold periods for astir non-immigrant visa categories, peculiarly B1/B2 and F-1.

Planning Insights for Travellers (Travel & Tourism Angle)

• Start Early: Given existing delays, particularly successful Chennai (up to 8½ months), applicants should use acold successful beforehand of their intended recreation aliases world schedule.
• Centralization Effects: Losing nan action to use via 3rd countries for illustration Abu Dhabi aliases Dubai—once alternatives—means unit now afloat concentrated connected Indian consulates.
• Safety & Document Rules: In-person pickup aliases paid location transportation only; guarantee correct ID and documentation, particularly for minors.
• Regular Monitoring: Wait times tin beryllium checked via nan State Department’s charismatic world hold times tool.
• Stay Updated: Keep an oculus connected embassy announcements, particularly regarding assignment slots and rescheduling norms.

Looking Ahead: New Rules, New Strategies

The extremity of third-country visa interviews for Indian citizens is much than conscionable a argumentation adjustment—it’s a awesome toward much centralized and unafraid visa processing. While this whitethorn adhd complexity, it besides presents an opportunity to streamline documentation, forestall misuse, and amended applicant tracking. For Indian travellers, students, and professionals, early readying and attraction to charismatic updates will beryllium cardinal to navigating this caller terrain pinch confidence.