Brazilian travellers seeking US B1/B2 visas are seeing the shortest interview queues in more than four years. According to the US State Department’s Global Visa Wait-Times dashboard, consulted on September 24 2026, Rio de Janeiro and Recife show appointments in less than 15 days, while São Paulo and Brasília stand at about one month; Porto Alegre remains the outlier at 2.5 months. The figures are based on data last updated by the Department on September 17 2026. The improvement follows additional consular staffing and Saturday interview sessions introduced after pandemic-era backlogs peaked at more than 200 days in 2024. For multinational firms the shorter queues translate into faster deployment timelines for training, sales visits and project kick-offs in the United States. HR teams should nonetheless factor in the mandatory in-person interview requirement reinstated on October 1 2025 for almost all applicants, including children and seniors, which can complicate family travel planning. Companies that route travellers through the quickest post—or use visa-expediting vendors—must remember that US regulations require applications to be filed in the country of residence; switching consulates within Brazil is permissible but subject to slot availability. The Department’s paid pilot programme offering ten-day appointments for US$ 750 still excludes Brazil, so employees should beware third-party offers that claim otherwise. With demand expected to spike ahead of the US holiday shopping and conference season, travel managers are advised to lock in interview dates early and maintain visibility over consular-processing times, which the State Department cautions can change without notice.
Source: Roteiro em Orlando
