Skift Take
After facing some of the longest wait times, Indian applicants for the U.S. visa finally have much reason to cheer.
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The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai has cleared the visa backlog caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and said that applicants can schedule appointments for immigrant visa interviews within the standard time frame, the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai said in a statement.
It further read that over 900,000 nonimmigrant visa applications are being processed at present and will soon surpass one million visas.
Following the pandemic, appointment wait times for immigrant visa applicants stood at over two years but applicants can now schedule their appointment for current slots.
On track to Achieve Targets: U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had earlier said that the wait time for first-time tourist visa interviews has been reduced by over 50%, adding that the goal for 2023 is to process at least one million visas.
Expanding Visa Operations: Garcetti also highlighted that the consulate will continue to find innovative solutions to streamline the visa process, such as reducing the need for in-person interviews, which allows consular teams around the world to assist in processing visas for the growing number of Indian travelers.
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