The United States Embassy in India has announced significant updates to its visa appointment rescheduling policies to improve fairness and reduce wait times for applicants. In an Instagram post on their official handle, the Embassy outlined the new measures, which will take effect on January 1, 2025.
According to the notification, applicants for U.S. visas will be allowed to reschedule their visa interview appointments once at no additional cost. However, if they miss their appointment or need to reschedule a second time, they will be required to book a new appointment and repay the application fees.
The Embassy emphasized that first-time nonimmigrant visa applicants will still have the flexibility to schedule their initial appointments at a location of their choice. However, rescheduling beyond the one permitted instance will incur additional fees.
The move is aimed at addressing the ongoing challenge of long wait times for visa appointments, which has been a persistent concern for applicants in India. “These changes will make it easier and faster for everyone to get appointments,” the Embassy stated, encouraging applicants to attend their scheduled appointments to maintain efficiency in the system.
Visa applicants are advised to carefully select dates they can commit to attending and to avoid unnecessary cancellations or no-shows, which can delay the process.
