US Visa Slots in 2025: Current B1/B2, Student, and Work Visa Wait Times
After eliminating the interview waiver policy, the US announced increased wait times for visa appointments. While some cities now provide quicker interview dates, others experience lengthy delays. If travelers routinely check the scheduling system, they can still obtain earlier appointments.
Wait periods for visa appointments in the US have been revised as of December 2025. The interview waiver policy, commonly referred to as Dropbox, has already been eliminated for temporary employees, F-1 international students, and numerous other visa categories, therefore this amendment is significant.
To put it briefly, the majority of travelers must now show up for a visa interview in order to be approved.
What is going on with the wait times for US visas?
Every city has a distinct wait time for US visas. While there have been significant drops in some areas, there are now lengthy delays in others.
Reduced Wait Times in India
There is some good news for Indian applicants. According to data, New Delhi's wait times for student and exchange visas (F, M, and J categories) have significantly decreased, from roughly two months to barely half a month.
New Delhi: The duration of F, M, and J visas was shortened from two months to roughly fifteen days. Interviews for B-1/B-2 (business and tourist visas) decreased from 6.5 months to 3.5 months.
Chennai (Madras): The wait period for B-1/B-2 interviews decreased from five months to about three months.
Extended Wait Times in Canada and China
Improvements were not seen in every area. Wait periods for work-related visas (H, L, O, P, and Q) in Shanghai increased dramatically from less than half a month to over three months.
Shanghai: Wait periods for H, L, O, P, and Q visa appointments increased from less than 15 days to almost three months.
Some of the longest delays occurred in a number of Canadian cities. For example:
4.5 months in Ottawa
4.5 months in Quebec City
Vancouver: four months
Canada still takes longer than most other countries, even for regular tourist visa interviews (B-1/B-2).
16.5 months in Toronto
13 months in San Jose
Lagos: 12.5 months
11.5 months for Merida
11 months in Ottawa
Interview Delays for Work Visas in Canada
Interview times for work visas are currently among the slowest in Canada:
4.5 months in Ottawa
4.5 months in Quebec
Vancouver: four months
Wait times for student and work visas are generally about the same for many cities as they were last month. However, places like China and Canada continue to move slowly.
The Meaning of "Average Wait Time"
An appointment date is not guaranteed by the US State Department's average wait time. It mostly displays the length of time individuals had to wait between paying their fees and the date of their actual interviews last month.
Occasionally, the average wait time appears to be longer than the available appointment time. This is due to the fact that fresh interview times are constantly becoming available.
How to Schedule an Early Appointment
This is something that many travelers overlook. It can have a significant impact.
Continue to check the appointment system after scheduling your interview.
You can reschedule your appointment if someone cancels or a new time slot becomes available.
Frequently, even on weekends and holidays, new spots become available.
The next available appointment can be sooner, so don't rely solely on the average wait time.
A Brief Synopsis
Most visas do longer offer the Dropbox/interview waiver.
Nowadays, a lot of travelers must show up for an interview.
While some towns made progress, others drastically slowed down.
You might obtain a quicker date by routinely checking the appointment system.
