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US Visa Backlog Soars: 1.45M Applications, 68 Staffers, 346-Day Wait for Indians
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News18•29-09-2026, 19:53
US Visa Backlog Soars: 1.45M Applications, 68 Staffers, 346-Day Wait for Indians
- •The US visa backlog is worsening due to a significant imbalance between demand and consular staffing, particularly affecting Indian applicants.
- •In fiscal year 2025, India saw over 1.45 million nonimmigrant visa applications, handled by only 68 consular officers, averaging more than 21,000 applications per officer.
- •Indian applicants face the longest wait times, with a weighted average of 346 days for a visitor-visa interview.
- •Global demand for US visas has surged, with 11.7 million visitor visas adjudicated in FY2025, up from 9.2 million pre-pandemic.
- •The number of consular officers for nonimmigrant visas decreased from 1,342 in FY2024 to 904 in FY2025, attributed to hiring freezes and attrition.
Key Questions Answered
Indian applicants faced a weighted average wait of 346 days for a visitor-visa interview, which was the longest among the four countries examined by the US Government Accountability Office in fiscal year 2025.
Only 68 consular officers were working on India's nonimmigrant visa applications during fiscal year 2025, during which India recorded more than 1.45 million such applications.
The number of consular officers working on nonimmigrant visas dropped from 1,342 in fiscal year 2024 to 904 in fiscal year 2025, with hiring freezes and attrition cited as the main contributing factors.
