Two separate waits.
Visa applicants outside the US face two sequential delays. First, USCIS must adjudicate the petition (2 weeks with premium processing, up to 6 months standard). Then, for those requiring a visa stamp, the consulate must schedule and conduct an interview. This page covers that second wait — which at high-demand posts can dwarf the USCIS timeline.
Petition processing
Applies to petitioned categories (H-1B, O-1, L-1, EB-1A, etc.). Premium processing: 15 business days. Standard: 2–6 months. This step happens before any consular interaction.
Interview appointment
After USCIS approval, applicants outside the US must schedule a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate. Wait time depends entirely on post location and visa category — from days to over a year.
Current wait times.
Approximate interview appointment wait times as of July 2026. B1/B2 (tourist/business) and employment-based nonimmigrant visas (H-1B, O-1, L-1) run separate appointment queues — employment-based categories consistently see shorter waits. Data sourced from State Department global wait time data and reported consular averages.
| Country / Post | Consulate | Approx. wait | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Lagos | 300–400 days | High |
| Nigeria | Abuja | 200–300 days | High |
| Colombia | Bogotá | 280–320 days | High |
| India | Mumbai | 285–310 days | High |
| India | New Delhi | 195–240 days | High |
| India | Hyderabad | 195–230 days | High |
| Mexico | Mexico City | 150–250 days | High |
| Brazil | São Paulo | 90–150 days | Medium |
| Ghana | Accra | 90–120 days | Medium |
| Pakistan | Islamabad | 60–120 days | Medium |
| Egypt | Cairo | 60–100 days | Medium |
| Philippines | Manila | 45–90 days | Medium |
| China | Beijing / Shanghai | 30–60 days | Medium |
| India | Chennai | 40–55 days | Medium |
| UAE | Abu Dhabi / Dubai | 20–45 days | Medium |
| France | Paris | 30–45 days | Medium |
| UK | London | 20–40 days | Medium |
| Germany | Berlin / Frankfurt | 14–30 days | Low |
| Singapore | Singapore | 14–30 days | Low |
| Japan | Tokyo / Osaka | 7–21 days | Low |
| South Korea | Seoul | 7–21 days | Low |
| Poland | Warsaw | 7–21 days | Low |
| Canada | Calgary | 7–21 days | Low |
| Israel | Tel Aviv | 7–14 days | Low |
| Country / Post | Consulate | Approx. wait | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Mumbai | 60–120 days | Medium |
| India | New Delhi | 45–90 days | Medium |
| India | Hyderabad / Chennai | 30–60 days | Medium |
| Nigeria | Lagos / Abuja | 45–90 days | Medium |
| Colombia | Bogotá | 30–60 days | Medium |
| Mexico | Mexico City | 30–60 days | Medium |
| Brazil | São Paulo | 21–45 days | Medium |
| China | Beijing / Shanghai | 14–30 days | Low |
| UK | London | 7–21 days | Low |
| France | Paris | 7–21 days | Low |
| UAE | Abu Dhabi / Dubai | 7–21 days | Low |
| Germany | Berlin / Frankfurt | 7–14 days | Low |
| Japan | Tokyo / Osaka | 3–14 days | Low |
| South Korea | Seoul | 3–14 days | Low |
| Singapore | Singapore | 3–14 days | Low |
| Canada | Toronto / Vancouver | 7–21 days | Low |
| Israel | Tel Aviv | 3–10 days | Low |
| Poland | Warsaw | 3–10 days | Low |
These figures are approximate and change weekly. For exact current wait times at a specific consulate, use the State Department's official tool at travel.state.gov/wait-times. Select your country, post, and visa category for a live figure.
Planning around the wait.
Consular wait times directly affect how you structure your immigration strategy. For clients outside the US, a 9-month B1/B2 queue at their home consulate doesn't mean a 9-month wait for a work visa — employment-based categories run shorter, separate queues. But if you need a visa stamp to enter and begin work, even a 60-day consular wait requires planning.
File USCIS first
Petition approval is required before most consular appointments. Use premium processing where available to minimize the gap — see USCIS processing times.
Consider third-country consulates
US visa interviews do not have to occur in your home country. If your home post has a 300-day wait but Warsaw has a 7-day wait, you can schedule the interview in Poland — a common strategy for Indian and Nigerian applicants.
Adjust in-country if possible
If you are already in the US in valid nonimmigrant status, adjustment of status or a change of status through USCIS avoids the consulate entirely. No visa stamp needed. No appointment queue.