Staff Shortages and Pandemic Surge Push India to Seventh Longest Visa Wait List

According to the audit, the rise in visa applications after COVID‑19 overwhelmed the existing consular workforce. In fiscal year 2025, 1,455,255 non‑immigrant visa applications originated from India, but only 68 consular officers were on duty. This imbalance resulted in an average interview wait of 346 days, the longest recorded for visitor visas in the country. Mexico, with a comparable officer‑to‑applicant ratio, still managed a shorter 283‑day wait, underscoring the impact of staffing constraints. Officials in all four visited locations agreed that insufficient staff is the primary driver of the delay.