US State Department’s October Update Shows Slight Drop in Visa Interview Waits at Indian Posts

The US Department of State has published its monthly Global Visa Wait Times table dated 21 October 2026, offering long-awaited relief for many Indian travellers and employers. The data show that four of the five U.S. missions in India trimmed their ‘next available’ B1/B2 interview dates by roughly two weeks versus September. New Delhi now shows three months instead of 3½; Mumbai four months, down from 4½; Chennai 3½ months, down from almost four; and Hyderabad one month for F-, M- and J-class students, its best level since early-2025. Kolkata holds steady at 2½ months. Average historic waits remain stubbornly high (7-12½ months for B1/B2) because most applicants who secured slots earlier in the year are still in the queue. For business-travel managers the message is twofold: (1) keep checking the scheduling portal because fresh inventory is dropped “regularly,” and (2) leverage the interview-waiver programme for repeat travellers wherever possible. Companies that bulk-booked appointments six to nine months ahead may be able to “move” those bookings forward when earlier slots appear, shaving weeks off deployment timelines. Policy advisers also note that the State Department is measuring waits in 30-day increments; therefore, a change of “half a month” can mean up to two calendar weeks. HR teams should translate those increments into firm calendar dates when advising C-suite travellers. The Department again cautions that published numbers are guidance, not guarantees. Practically, multinationals should revisit project start dates, especially for engineers and executives transferring under H-1B or L-1 petitions. With petition-based appointments in Chennai showing 2½ months and New Delhi 3½ months, companies planning early-2027 assignments still have time to file and schedule interviews before India’s peak-summer rush. Travel managers should also remind assignees that passports must remain valid for at least six months beyond intended entry, or they risk being turned away at check-in despite holding a visa.