LONG VISA WAIT TIMES ARE A DE FACTO TRAVEL BAN.
The problem
First-time visitor visa applicants in the key markets for U.S. inbound travel are currently facing interview wait times of 400-800 days—a de facto border closure in the way of excessive wait times to receive a visa. The data shows a severe backlog in processing visitor visas is delaying visits to the United States from global travelers in key markets.
$120B
in spending (50%) in 2019 came from countries where a visitor visa is required to enter the United States.
400+ days
days of waiting for first-time visitors from top inbound markets to receive interviews.
63%
of these visitors are from Brazil, India and Mexico — three of the top inbound markets requiring a visitor visa.
Unacceptable long delays in issuing U.S. visitor visas keeps families apart, delays travel to the U.S., and harms American businesses. When visitors have to wait this long, many choose other destinations to visit. This comes at a projected cost to the U.S. economy of nearly $7 billion in traveler spending in 2023 alone.
Rapidly processing U.S. visitor visas is within the Biden administration’s control and should be immediately prioritized so we can welcome more international visitors to America
The solution
To improve U.S. visitor visa processing, the Biden administration should:
- Lower wait times to 21 days in top countries for inbound travel to the U.S. by April 2023.
- By September 31, 2023, reinstate the Executive Order to provide interview appointments for 80% of nonimmigrant U.S. visa applicants within 21 days or less.
- Increase resources in countries with a high volume of applicants and for large events in the U.S. that draw international visitors.
- Extend interview waivers for U.S. nonimmigrant visa renewals and apply waivers more broadly to renewal applicants through 2024.
#TheyWaitWeLose
Make your voice heard. Tell us your story.
Travel visa delay stories from across the globe.
I have recently applied for a US Visa. I have completed all the steps for the visa application after the submission of the DS 160 form fee, but I am not able to schedule an appointment for the visa. I have to attend a mega conference organized by the National Consortium Of Ayurveda Medicine in Orlando, Florida, on October 27–29, 2023. I am invited as a speaker for that conference. I am an officer of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. I got an NOC from the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and FCRA clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Kindly resolve the matter as soon as possible and provide the appointment date as earliest.
I have recently applied for a US Visa. I have completed all the steps for the visa application after the submission of the DS 160 form fee, but I am not able to schedule an appointment for the visa. I have to attend a mega conference organized by the National Consortium Of Ayurveda Medicine in Orlando, Florida, on October 27–29, 2023. I am invited as a speaker for that conference. I am an officer of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. I got an NOC from the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and FCRA clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Kindly resolve the matter as soon as possible and provide the appointment date as earliest.
I have recently applied for a US Visa. I have completed all the steps for the visa application after the submission of the DS 160 form fee, but I am not able to schedule an appointment for the visa. I have to attend a mega conference organized by the National Consortium Of Ayurveda Medicine in Orlando, Florida, on October 27–29, 2023. I am invited as a speaker for that conference. I am an officer of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. I got an NOC from the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and FCRA clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Kindly resolve the matter as soon as possible and provide the appointment date as earliest.
We produce international exhibitions and events and depend on international visitors. Why can’t someone fix this backlog already?
We produce international exhibitions and events and depend on international visitors. Why can’t someone fix this backlog already?
We produce international exhibitions and events and depend on international visitors. Why can’t someone fix this backlog already?
I want to travel with my child and my husband, I’ve been in the united states 5 times! But would be the first time with them. My kid is 1 y.o. so his passaport has a short expiration date. At first, I schedule the interview for more than 400 days away! I’m trying to reduce this time every day by rescheduling…We really wanted to travel before he gets to 2 y.o. but we can’t. Now hope we get the visa before the 3…. ( a big raise in the cost of the travel because he started to pay for everything).
I want to travel with my child and my husband, I’ve been in the united states 5 times! But would be the first time with them. My kid is 1 y.o. so his passaport has a short expiration date. At first, I schedule the interview for more than 400 days away! I’m trying to reduce this time every day by rescheduling…We really wanted to travel before he gets to 2 y.o. but we can’t. Now hope we get the visa before the 3…. ( a big raise in the cost of the travel because he started to pay for everything).
I want to travel with my child and my husband, I’ve been in the united states 5 times! But would be the first time with them. My kid is 1 y.o. so his passaport has a short expiration date. At first, I schedule the interview for more than 400 days away! I’m trying to reduce this time every day by rescheduling…We really wanted to travel before he gets to 2 y.o. but we can’t. Now hope we get the visa before the 3…. ( a big raise in the cost of the travel because he started to pay for everything).
I’m brasilian and I received flight tickets to the US as a birthday gift. The travel will be on October 2023, but I just found out about the very long wait time to get a visitors visa. It is so sad, I’m afraid I’m gonna loose my chance to visit the US just because it’s not being possible to get a visa… Somebody needs to do something about this issue!
I’m brasilian and I received flight tickets to the US as a birthday gift. The travel will be on October 2023, but I just found out about the very long wait time to get a visitors visa. It is so sad, I’m afraid I’m gonna loose my chance to visit the US just because it’s not being possible to get a visa… Somebody needs to do something about this issue!
I’m brasilian and I received flight tickets to the US as a birthday gift. The travel will be on October 2023, but I just found out about the very long wait time to get a visitors visa. It is so sad, I’m afraid I’m gonna loose my chance to visit the US just because it’s not being possible to get a visa… Somebody needs to do something about this issue!
After 10 years since I’ve last been to the US I would like to take my family for our family vacation. My understanding of the wait times is that the United States lacks a visa policy. If the target is balance the risk of illegal immigration and the tourist spend the current one-model-fits-all process is bound to shift the scale to only one of these objectives. Brazil for instance has no visa requirements to Europe or Japan – so in general terms the country is already perceived as a low risk origin. In addition to this the visa process overextends itself by requiring tourists who have already been to the US and high-income countries multiple times and possess a high income to go through an interview which will not provide any relevant information about the applicant that is relevant to its perceived risk level.
After 10 years since I’ve last been to the US I would like to take my family for our family vacation. My understanding of the wait times is that the United States lacks a visa policy. If the target is balance the risk of illegal immigration and the tourist spend the current one-model-fits-all process is bound to shift the scale to only one of these objectives. Brazil for instance has no visa requirements to Europe or Japan – so in general terms the country is already perceived as a low risk origin. In addition to this the visa process overextends itself by requiring tourists who have already been to the US and high-income countries multiple times and possess a high income to go through an interview which will not provide any relevant information about the applicant that is relevant to its perceived risk level.
After 10 years since I’ve last been to the US I would like to take my family for our family vacation. My understanding of the wait times is that the United States lacks a visa policy. If the target is balance the risk of illegal immigration and the tourist spend the current one-model-fits-all process is bound to shift the scale to only one of these objectives. Brazil for instance has no visa requirements to Europe or Japan – so in general terms the country is already perceived as a low risk origin. In addition to this the visa process overextends itself by requiring tourists who have already been to the US and high-income countries multiple times and possess a high income to go through an interview which will not provide any relevant information about the applicant that is relevant to its perceived risk level.
When global travelers experience excessive wait times for a U.S. visitor visa, they will go elsewhere and the United States misses an opportunity to welcome them.