Monday, August 26, 2024 The Indian travel industry has recently expressed significant concerns over the lengthy visa wait times and the limited availability of direct flight options between India and the United States. These issues were highlighted during a tourism and hospitality summit held between the two countries on Friday. Although there has been a reduction in the wait time for US visitor visa appointments from the unprecedented peak of 999 days at the end of 2021, the current wait times still exceed one year, posing a substantial barrier to travel.
Current Visa Wait Times: A Persistent Challenge As of the latest update from the US Department of State, the wait times for B1/B2 visa interviews in India are still alarmingly high. The wait time in Chennai is currently 459 days, in Mumbai it is 450 days, in Hyderabad it stands at 407 days, while Kolkata and Delhi have wait times of 381 and 379 days, respectively. These prolonged delays are a significant deterrent for travelers, especially for those with urgent travel needs or those planning business trips.
The Indian travel industry argues that these delays are stifling the potential growth of tourism between India and the US, which is otherwise on a promising trajectory. Impact of Direct Flight Limitations In addition to visa delays, the lack of sufficient direct flight options between the two countries is another critical issue impacting travel. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has led many Western airlines, including Ame.