US Visa Rule Extends Wait Times for Indian Applicants

The United States has ended the option for Indian visa applicants to schedule their interviews in third countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.

The policy change, announced on Monday, is expected to affect thousands of applicants who had used this route to bypass long wait times at US consulates in India. Many students, professionals, and tourists had previously benefited from faster processing abroad, where slots were more readily available.

With this decision, Indian applicants will now have to book interviews only within India, where wait times for certain categories have stretched to over a year in the past.

US officials said the move aims to streamline operations and maintain consistency across visa processing worldwide. However, immigration experts warn it could add more strain to already overburdened consulates in India.

The change underscores Washington’s continuing struggle to balance growing visa demand from India with limited staffing and resources.