US Visa Wait Times 2026: Interview Appointments by City
For most US visas the long part is not the decision, it is the wait for an interview. That wait depends almost entirely on where you apply and which visa you want: while a student in Paris can get an appointment in under half a month, a tourist in Toronto is looking at 20 months. These are the US Department of State's published wait times, last updated on 17 September 2026 and read on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
US visa wait times vary by embassy and visa type. In the State Department's table updated on 17 September 2026, the next available visitor visa (B1/B2) interview was under half a month away in Paris, Seoul, Lagos, Manila and Dhaka, 1 month in London and Berlin, 5 months in Mexico City, 10 months in New Delhi, 12 months in Hyderabad, 12.5 months in Islamabad and 20 months in Toronto. Student visa (F, M, J) interviews were much quicker almost everywhere: under half a month in London, Mexico City and Lagos, and 2 months in New Delhi. The figures are estimates, do not guarantee an appointment, and do not include any administrative processing after the interview.
How to read the numbers
- Next available appointment predicts when you can expect an interview at that post if you book now.
- Average wait time is how long visitor visa applicants actually waited for an interview in the previous month. It is published for some posts only.
- The State Department counts months in 30-day steps and half months in 15-day steps, including weekends and holidays.
- The table is updated monthly. Posts release new appointment slots regularly, so the wait can shorten after you book.
Visitor visa (B1/B2) interview waits
| Post | Next available appointment | Average wait last month |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 20 months | 20 months |
| Islamabad | 12.5 months | 10.5 months |
| Abu Dhabi | 12.5 months | Not published |
| Hyderabad | 12 months | 11.5 months |
| Dubai | 11.5 months | Not published |
| New Delhi | 10 months | 7.5 months |
| Lima | 9 months | 8.5 months |
| Santo Domingo | 9 months | 5.5 months |
| Karachi | 7.5 months | 7.5 months |
| Bogotá | 7 months | 8.5 months |
| Kolkata | 6.5 months | 6 months |
| Mexico City | 5 months | 6.5 months |
| Beijing | 4.5 months | Not published |
| Istanbul | 4.5 months | Not published |
| Accra | 4.5 months | 3 months |
| Shanghai | 3.5 months | Not published |
| Frankfurt | 2.5 months | Not published |
| Tokyo | 2.5 months | Not published |
| Jakarta | 1.5 months | Not published |
| London, Berlin, Cairo, Nairobi, Johannesburg, São Paulo | 1 month | Not published |
| Riyadh | 0.5 month | Not published |
| Paris, Seoul, Lagos, Manila, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Buenos Aires | Under 0.5 month | Not published |
| Dhaka | Under 0.5 month | 8 months |
Dhaka shows why both columns matter: people interviewed last month had waited an average of 8 months, but the next free appointment is now under half a month away.
Student, work and crew visa interview waits
| Post | Students and exchange visitors (F, M, J) | Petition-based work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) | Crew and transit (C, D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 2 months | 3 months | 2 months |
| Hyderabad | 1.5 months | 5.5 months | Under 0.5 month |
| Kolkata | 2 months | 1 month | Not published |
| Islamabad | 2 months | 4.5 months | 4.5 months |
| Karachi | 1 month | 1 month | Under 0.5 month |
| Beijing | 5.5 months | 6 months | Under 0.5 month |
| Shanghai | 1 month | 3.5 months | 2 months |
| Dubai | 5 months | 4.5 months | 5 months |
| Manila | 1 month | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month |
| Lagos | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month |
| Accra | 2 months | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month |
| Mexico City | Under 0.5 month | 1 month | 1 month |
| Toronto | Under 0.5 month | 1.5 months | 1 month |
| London | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month | Under 0.5 month |
| Frankfurt | 1.5 months | 2 months | 1.5 months |
| Tokyo | 1.5 months | 1.5 months | 2 months |
| Istanbul | 2 months | Under 0.5 month | 1 month |
In most posts where visitor visas are backed up for close to a year, student interviews are available within about two months; Dubai, at 5 months, is the exception. Toronto is the clearest contrast, with 20 months for a visitor visa and under half a month for a student visa.
What the wait time does not include
- Administrative processing. A consular officer either issues or refuses a visa. Some refused applications need further administrative processing, which the officer tells you about at the end of the interview. Its length varies with the circumstances of each case and is not part of these estimates.
- Interview waiver cases. Where a post accepts applications without an interview, its published wait covers only the appointment to hand in your passport and documents. It does not cover the time to adjudicate the application or to mail the passport back.
- A guarantee. The State Department says the estimates do not guarantee that an appointment will be available.
Can you get an earlier appointment?
Consular sections may expedite an interview for an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, a medical emergency or a school start date. The steps are the same everywhere:
- Submit the online application, Form DS-160.
- Pay the application fee.
- Schedule the first available interview appointment.
- Only then request an expedited appointment, following the post's instructions, with proof of why you need it.
The State Department lists what does not qualify: weddings, graduation ceremonies, helping a pregnant relative, an annual business, academic or professional conference, and last-minute tourism.
Without an emergency, the practical route is to book the first slot you can and then check back. Posts release additional slots regularly, and you can move your appointment to an earlier one.
How to plan around the wait
- Book before you plan anything else. The wait runs from the day you schedule, and you can only schedule after the DS-160 and the fee.
- Students: apply early anyway. A student visa can be issued up to 365 days before the course starts, so there is no reason to wait for a short queue to get shorter.
- Think twice about applying in another country. You may schedule at another embassy or consulate, but the State Department warns it may be harder to show you qualify outside the country where you live.
- Allow time after the interview for possible administrative processing and for your passport to come back.
For the student route in full, see our USA student visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a US visa appointment?
It depends on the post and visa type. In the table updated on 17 September 2026, the next visitor visa interview was under half a month away in Paris, Seoul and Lagos, 1 month in London, 10 months in New Delhi and 20 months in Toronto.
What is the US visa wait time in India?
For visitor visas, the next available appointment was 10 months away in New Delhi, 12 months in Hyderabad and 6.5 months in Kolkata. For student visas it was 2 months in New Delhi and Kolkata and 1.5 months in Hyderabad.
How long is the wait for a US student visa interview?
Usually short. The next F, M or J interview was under half a month away in London, Mexico City, Lagos and Toronto, 1 month in Manila and Shanghai, and 2 months in New Delhi and Islamabad. Beijing, at 5.5 months, and Dubai, at 5 months, were exceptions.
Can I expedite a US visa interview?
Only for an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, medical emergency or school start date, and only after you have submitted the DS-160, paid the fee and booked the first available appointment. Weddings, graduations and last-minute tourism do not qualify.
What is administrative processing?
Further processing that some applications need after the interview. The consular officer tells you at the end of the interview if it applies. Its length varies case by case and is not included in the published wait times.
How often are US visa wait times updated?
Monthly. The State Department also notes that embassies and consulates release additional appointment slots regularly, so applicants can check back and move to an earlier slot.
Does the wait time guarantee an appointment?
No. The State Department says the information is an estimate and does not guarantee the availability of an appointment.
Sources (official only)
- US Department of State — Global visa wait times
- US Department of State — Visa appointment wait times
- US Department of State — Student visa
All figures read from the State Department table last updated on 17 September 2026, on 13 October 2026. It is updated monthly, so check the table for your post before you plan. Information, not legal advice.