US Visa Appointment Wait Times for Indian Cities Updated, Visitor Visas Face Longest Delays
The US State Department updated visa appointment wait times for Indian applicants on September 17, 2026. Hyderabad has the longest B-1 B-2 visitor visa wait, nearing 12 months, followed by Mumbai at about 11 months. Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai show shorter waits, while student and exchange visa appointments remain comparatively brief across all cities. Work visa wait times vary, with Hyderabad experiencing increases. A pilot program allows some applicants to pay for expedited appointments at select US embassies.
First-hand measurement across 2 sources
We measured how 2 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is neutral (50/100). Lens Score 40/100.
Outlets measured: hindustantimes, thefinancialexpress. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (50–50/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
thefinancialexpress broke this story on 23 Sept, 01:25 pm. Other outlets followed.