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High Demand Drives Increase in US Visa Wait Times, State Department Official Says

 A State Department spokesperson has noted that the United States has significantly increased the issuance of nonimmigrant visas in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2019, with a 19.4 percent rise. The spokesperson mentioned that several busy visa-issuing posts, such as those in Mexico, actually issued more visitor visas in fiscal year 2022 than in the prepandemic fiscal year 2019. The State Department indicated that wait times for first-time visitor visa interviews in India have decreased by 70 percent since the start of the year. Furthermore, they stated that they issued 46 percent more nonimmigrant visas compared to the same period last year

In Mexico, there has been a 21 percent increase in visa issuance, while Brazil saw a significant reduction in visa wait times, with the average wait period decreasing to 147 days.    However, despite these improvements, challenges still exist. Wait times for visa interviews have increased in Mexico and India, with Mexico experiencing an average wait time of 726 days and India having an average wait time of 484 days. These lengthy wait times remain a source of concern for the travel industry, which is eager to see the State Department address these issues to facilitate the recovery of the inbound travel sector.

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