Aspiring US visa applicants from Ahmedabad and north Gujarat are grappling with two significant hurdles. One is the excessively long wait time for appointments. Visitor visa interview slots are currently available only from September 2026. The other is the recent withdrawal of the option to apply for a US visa from third countries, a shift that has led to substantial financial setbacks for many.
This is in contrast to the scenario last year when Gujarat students faced fewer hurdles in obtaining US visas. They could secure appointments within 45 days of receiving their I-20 forms, a national daily reported.
Back then, business and visitor visa applicants were experiencing severe delays, with interview slots only available from December 2025 onwards.
Many reported payment issues and website glitches that prevent them from booking appointments despite paying high fees. These ongoing challenges have led to a nearly 50% drop in US-bound travel from Gujarat over the past two years, even as student visa processing has improved following assurances from US authorities.
Cut to this year. A visa consultant based in Ahmedabad told a national daily that the Mumbai consulate, where most applicants from Gujarat apply, has no available dates. Consequently, people are now turning to US consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, or the embassy in Delhi in search of appointments.
According to the report, the consultant said that earlier, agents would send clients to countries such as Thailand, Singapore, or Vietnam either to strengthen their applications or to reduce the waiting time for US visas.
Applicants would typically pay a fee of USD 185 to book these appointments. But this method has now been stopped. All visa-related procedures must be completed within India.
A consultant from Mehsana highlighted the growing anxiety among applicants across Gujarat, stating that many have already secured appointments for 2026 but continue searching for earlier slots in hopes of expediting their travel plans.
Another consultant pointed out that since visitor visas were not being issued in India, applicants had previously resorted to booking appointments in other countries. With the closure of that option as well, many have suffered financial losses. The consultant also mentioned that January usually sees a surge in visitor visa applications due to university convocations.
A resident of Mehsana shared that he and others in his group had been advised to book visa dates in Thailand. They paid the fees following their agents’ instructions, but the US authorities changed the rules shortly after, leaving them uncertain and without recourse. He said the fees they paid were now lost.
An applicant from Kalol, who had been trying to secure a visitor visa through Taiwan, now finds her chances of success uncertain.
A consultant remarked that student visas in China are issued within just three days, in stark contrast to the current situation in India. Here, agents are reportedly staying awake all night in attempts to secure appointments for their clients.
Further, the report added that visa seekers are being advised to stay informed about official procedures, remain cautious, and avoid fraudulent agents who offer services abroad.
Consultants have described the new US rule, disallowing Indian residents from applying for visas through consulates in other countries, as another serious setback.
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