GetMyVisaUS visa wait times and appointment dates in India
The US visa wait time for India is the State Department's estimate of how long until the next interview date. Real appointment dates often open sooner, when new slots are released or other applicants cancel. This page puts the two side by side: what is published, and the verified openings we recorded at the US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
The short answer
Published wait time vs real openings
The State Department runs its ownvisa appointment wait time tool. Pick a city and a visa type and it shows an estimated wait. That number is theirs, it is an average, and it changes. Check it there rather than trusting a copy on any other site, including this one.
Earlier dates still appear for two reasons. Posts release new blocks of appointments from time to time, and applicants cancel or reschedule, which frees single dates. Neither shows up in a monthly estimate, which is why people with a long published wait sometimes book within weeks.
What "available dates" on the portal really mean
Not every date the portal shows can be booked. Some appear for a few seconds and vanish before anyone books them. Applicants call these ghost dates. Our openings below count only dates that were still listed after our confirmation window, so ghosts are left out.What a ghost slot is.
City numbers below: B1/B2 verified openings, 7 Jun to 2 Oct 2026. Time-of-day figures use all visa types at that city, in IST.
US Embassy New Delhi
New Delhi is the busiest post by far: 175 B1/B2 verified openings, 52% of all B1/B2 openings in India and about 10 a week. Visa types seen: B1/B2 175, H1B 2.
Its openings lean early: the busiest band was 3 AM–6 AM (25% of its openings), and 38% came between midnight and 6 AM. If you can travel to Delhi for the OFC visit, it is the city with the most chances.
US Embassy New Delhi (official site) ·New Delhi hour chart
Chennai
Chennai is second, with 66 B1/B2 verified openings (20% of India's B1/B2 total, roughly 4 a week). Visa types seen: B1/B2 66, H1B 3.
Its busiest band was 3 AM–6 AM (20%), but Chennai leans toward office hours more than Delhi: 41% of its openings came between 9 AM and 6 PM.
US Consulate Chennai (official site) ·Chennai hour chart
Mumbai
Mumbai had 48 B1/B2 verified openings (14% of the B1/B2 total, about 3 a week). Visa types seen: B1/B2 48, F1/F2 1.
Mumbai is the most daytime city of the five: 47% of its openings came between 9 AM and 6 PM, even though its single busiest band was 3 AM–6 AM.
US Consulate Mumbai (official site) ·Mumbai hour chart
Kolkata
Kolkata had 26 verified openings, and every one was B1/B2 (8% of the B1/B2 total, about 1.6 a week).
It is the most night-heavy city: 46% of its openings came between midnight and 6 AM, with the busiest band at 3 AM–6 AM (31%). Openings are fewer here, so a single missed one matters more.
US Consulate Kolkata (official site) ·Kolkata hour chart
Hyderabad
Hyderabad had the fewest B1/B2 verified openings, 19 (6% of the B1/B2 total, about 1.1 a week). Visa types seen: B1/B2 19, H1B 8, the most H1B openings of any city, though still a small number.
It is also the only city whose busiest band was not 3–6 AM: it peaked at 6 AM–9 AM (22% of its openings).
US Consulate Hyderabad (official site) ·Hyderabad hour chart
B1/B2 visitor visa: dates for parents
Many people searching for B1/B2 dates are booking for their parents to visit family in the US. B1/B2 is also where almost all verified openings happen, so it is the visa type where an alert is most likely to help. Parents book in their own account and attend the OFC (biometric) visit themselves.
If your parents are renewing a B1/B2 visa that expired less than 12 months ago, they may not need an interview at all. The State Department sets who qualifies, so check its interview waiver notice before booking.
How to get an earlier date
You can move to an earlier date by rescheduling in your own account, but the portal limits how many times you can reschedule before you pay the fee again. Our OFC appointment guide covers how it works and what to check first.
The other half is knowing when to look. GetMyVisa sends push alerts when verified B1/B2 OFC dates open in the cities you pick, so you open the portal only when there is something to book.
Free to download on iOS and Android.
H1B, F1 and dropbox: where things stand
In the same period, H1B and F1 openings were rare: 13 H1B and 1 F1/F2 verified openings across all five posts. We share this as information only.
Dropbox (the interview waiver) is no longer available for most applicants. From 2 September 2025 the State Department ended it for H1B, H4, F1, L1 and most other categories. The main exception is B1/B2 renewals within 12 months of the old visa's expiry. The State Department notice has the full rules.
FAQ
What time do US visa slots open?
There is no fixed time. In our data the busiest band across India was 3–6 AM IST, but most verified openings happened outside midnight to 6 AM. The timing guide has the full hour-by-hour chart.
How can I check US visa slot availability?
On the portal, in your own account. Refreshing it again and again risks a temporary lockout, so many applicants use alerts and open the portal only when dates are listed. If it shows an error instead, see portal errors explained.
Are US visa slots released on weekends?
Sometimes. 54 of 348 verified openings (16%, about 1 in 6) landed on a Saturday or Sunday. Weekdays had the rest.
Is H1B dropbox still available?
No, not for most applicants. The State Department ended the interview waiver for H1B, H4, F1 and L1 from 2 September 2025. Some B1/B2 renewals within 12 months of expiry can still qualify, so check travel.state.gov for your case.
Why is the published wait time longer than the dates I see?
The published figure is a monthly estimate for the next interview date. New releases and cancellations open individual dates in between, and those are not in the estimate.
Can I get an earlier US visa appointment in India?
Yes, if an earlier date opens and you still have a reschedule left. See the reschedule section of the OFC guide before you move a booked date.