As of April 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of State has changed how it reports nonimmigrant visa wait times. These updates help applicants understand both estimated and average wait times for visa interviews, especially for B1/B2 visitor visas.
What Changed in April 2025?
The updated visa wait time tool now displays two key metrics:
- Next Available Appointment: Estimated time until the next visa interview slot opens at your selected U.S. embassy or consulate.
- Average Wait Time: For B1/B2 visas only, this shows how long recent applicants waited (from payment to interview) during the last month, when current wait times are over 90 days.
These are estimates only. Actual appointment availability can change frequently.
How to Check U.S. Visa Wait Times
Follow these steps to find the current wait times for your visa interview:
- Visit the Official Wait Time Page:
Go to the U.S. State Department Visa Wait Times tool: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html - Select Your Embassy or Consulate:
Use the dropdown menu to choose your location. You’ll see the:- Next available appointment estimate
- Average wait time (if applicable)
- Check Often:
Appointment slots are released regularly. You may find an earlier date if you check the system often—even after you’ve scheduled your interview.
How Wait Times Are Calculated
The Department of State uses:
- 30-day increments for full months
- 15-day increments for half months
These wait times include weekends and holidays. Remember, interview waiver processing times are not listed in the wait time tool.
How to Reschedule for an Earlier Appointment
If you’ve already scheduled your interview, here’s how to try for a sooner date:
- Log in to the visa scheduling system for your embassy or consulate
- Look for newly opened dates
- Reschedule to an earlier appointment if one appears
This is the best way to reduce your wait time.
What About Interview Waivers?
Some applicants may qualify for an in-person interview waiver based on eligibility criteria. These applications may be submitted without attending an in-person appointment.
To check your eligibility, visit your embassy’s website and look for “Interview Waiver” or “Dropbox” information. These options are not reflected in the public wait time data.
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JEREMY L. RICHARDS is the founding partner of Richards and Jurusik and has dedicated his career to U.S. immigration law, with a specialized focus on assisting Canadian and Mexican citizens under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to work and live in the United States. (Full Bio)
