Travellers planning to visit the United States for business or leisure may find the Kolkata consulate to be the most efficient option for obtaining a visa, boasting a significantly shorter wait time compared to other consulates, which are currently experiencing delays of up to 477 days.

In the past year, the US has implemented various measures to address the soaring visa wait times. While progress has been made—with approximately 1.4 million visas issued to Indian applicants in 2023, marking a record high, and a 75% decrease in visitor visa appointment wait times—challenges remain.

The wait times for B1/B2 visas vary markedly across different US consulates in India. The Kolkata consulate currently offers the fastest processing time, with applicants facing a wait of only 24 calendar days.

In stark contrast, the consulate in Chennai has the longest wait at 477 calendar days. Other consulates also report lengthy delays: Hyderabad at 407 days, Bombay at 422 days, and Delhi at 386 days.

The B1 visa allows travellers to enter the U.S. for business purposes. In contrast, the B2 visa caters to tourists, individuals visiting friends and family, and those seeking medical treatment or attending social events without receiving payment. Typically issued together as a B1/B2 visa, these permits enable holders to partake in both business and leisure activities during their stay in the United States.

Meanwhile, to give a second chance to the US visa hopefuls, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revealed plans to conduct a second lottery selection process for H-1B applications for the fiscal year 2025.

This decision is taken to fulfil the regular cap numerical allocation for the year and offers a renewed opportunity for applicants who were not selected in the initial lottery held in March 2024, the Economic Times reported.

Moreover, the agency clarified that there will not be a second selection for the advanced degree exemption, commonly referred to as the master’s cap. According to USCIS, the initial selection generated a sufficient number of registrations and petitions to meet the FY 2025 master’s cap allocation.

The upcoming second selection will include all previously submitted registrations, encompassing those eligible for both the regular cap and the master’s cap