No US B1/B2 Visa Appointment Slots in India 2026: How to Actually Get One

Why There Are No US B1/B2 Slots in India Right Now (September 2026)

If you have spent weeks refreshing the scheduling portal and seeing nothing but unavailable dates, you are not alone. The State Department's wait-time table dated 17 September 2026, still the latest published on 28 September, put the next available B1/B2 interview at 12 months in Hyderabad, 11.5 in Mumbai and 10 in New Delhi; even Kolkata, the shortest queue in India, was at 6.5 months. Posts from Indian applicants who cannot find a workable slot at any of the five consulate cities keep arriving on the r/usvisascheduling forum.

According to applicant reports there from late August to late September 2026, B1/B2 applicants still describe weeks of "No slots available" messages at all five posts or dates a year or more away, and in late September several posts came from families trying to book for parents, one after two months of searching. Other posts, mostly about work, student and dependant visas, describe cancelled or rescheduled interviews at Chennai and Mumbai and refused emergency requests. Three overlapping factors are at work. First, sheer volume: the five posts issued about 1.11 million nonimmigrant visas of all types in fiscal year 2024, up 36% on fiscal year 2019. Second, the interview waiver programme was sharply curtailed across 2025, pushing renewal applicants who previously used Dropbox back into the interview queue. Third, State Department guidance since 6 September 2025 tells applicants to book in their country of nationality or residence, so posts abroad offer no easy way around the Indian queue.

Current Wait Times by Consulate

The figures below come from the State Department's wait-time table dated 17 September 2026, still the latest published on 28 September 2026. Across the five Indian posts the next available B1/B2 interview then ran from 6.5 to 12 months, and the average wait from 6 to 11.5 months. The table is updated monthly and its averages do not guarantee an appointment within a specific time, while the official portal warns that availability changes daily, so treat these as orientation and check the current table before making any travel bookings.

New Delhi

New Delhi was listed at 7.5 months on average for B1/B2 interviews, with the next available appointment predicted at 10 months, up from 9 in the August table. Delhi issued 308,287 nonimmigrant visas of all types in fiscal year 2024, second only to Chennai among Indian posts, and applicants on scheduling forums in September 2026 described weeks with no dates at all.

Mumbai

Mumbai was listed at 11 months on average and 11.5 months for the next available appointment, down from 14 in August but still the second-longest in India. The post issued 252,346 nonimmigrant visas of all types in fiscal year 2024, down from 345,003 the year before. Applicant reports in late August and early September 2026 also described cancelled or moved Mumbai interviews, mostly in other visa categories.

Chennai

Chennai was listed at 7 months on average and 7.5 months for the next available appointment, the second-shortest queue in India. Chennai issued 326,081 nonimmigrant visas of all types in fiscal year 2024, the most of any Indian post. H-1B applicants on scheduling forums in early September 2026 reported cancellations and rescheduled dates at Chennai.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad was listed at 11.5 months on average and 12 months for the next available appointment, up from 9.5 in August and now the longest in India. US Mission India said in December 2024, as reported by Business Today, that from 1 January 2025 applicants can schedule their first appointment at the location of their choice, so travelling for an earlier date remains a documented strategy, but not to Hyderabad.

Kolkata

Kolkata still had the shortest queue in India, at 6 months on average and 6.5 for the next available appointment, though both stood at 4 in August. It is also by far the smallest of the five posts, with 49,370 nonimmigrant visas issued in fiscal year 2024, and for applicants in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha or the Northeast it is the practical first choice. In May 2026 the consulate announced priority B1/B2 slots for parents aged 50 and over visiting children living lawfully in the US, news reports said, yet on 22 September one applicant booking for parents saw no date there for 10 days, not even for next year. Interview waiver is different: law firms reported that US Mission India centralized B1/B2 waiver appointments in New Delhi from March 2024, so the choice of post matters for in-person interviews.

How Slot Release Actually Works

No official release schedule is published. The State Department says only that new appointments are added regularly; applicants report dates surfacing at unpredictable times, sometimes in the middle of the night. The official terms state that appointments are not guaranteed, that availability changes daily, and that precise availability only becomes visible once the visa application fee is paid.

A practical approach is to book the earliest available date even if it is months away, then watch for cancellations that bring it forward. US Mission India said in December 2024, as reported by Business Today, that from 1 January 2025 you can reschedule once without charge, and that a missed appointment or a second reschedule means paying the fee again. The scheduling site warns you when you reach the limit, and if you then cancel, the fee payment becomes invalid. Hold your reschedule until a slot meaningfully shortens your timeline. If you cannot attend, cancel at least two business days before the interview to avoid a no-show mark.

Interview Waiver (Dropbox) — Who Qualifies in 2026

The Dropbox program, formally the Interview Waiver Program, lets qualifying applicants drop documents at one of eleven collection locations instead of attending an interview. Eligibility narrowed sharply in two steps during 2025.

As the official India appointment site sets out the rules in September 2026, interview waiver covers B-1/B-2 renewals, certain A, C-3, G, NATO and TECRO categories, and diplomatic or official-type visas. Mainstream work and study categories are not on that list.

For B-1/B-2 renewal applicants the conditions are:

• The previous visa is still valid or expired within the past 12 months — not 48, as the rule stood before February 2025
• You were at least 18 when that visa was issued, a rule in force since 2 September 2025 that replaced the earlier age-based exemptions
• Your submission appointment falls at least 15 calendar days inside that window, or you are sent to biometrics and a full interview
• You apply in your country of nationality or residence and are physically in India on the day you submit
• All ten fingerprints were taken at the last issuance, and that visa was not lost, stolen, revoked or marked CWOP
• You have never been refused, unless the refusal was overcome or waived

Each applicant must meet these criteria independently on the day of submission, so a dependant does not inherit eligibility from a spouse or parent — a common reason families get split between Dropbox and an interview. Calendars can differ too: in late September one applicant said that of two parents renewing through the waiver, one saw drop-off dates the next week and the other none; another said Bangalore was missing from the drop-off options. Official guidance is to allow up to three weeks for processing, which the post says it cannot expedite, and an officer can still call you in.

Legitimate Ways to Get an Earlier Appointment

There is no guaranteed shortcut, but these approaches work within the official system:

• Book any available date straight after paying the MRV fee — precise availability only appears after payment
• Check alternate consulates: the State Department's table dated 17 September 2026 put the next B1/B2 appointment at 6.5 months in Kolkata and 7.5 in Chennai, against 12 in Hyderabad
• For parents aged 50 or over visiting children lawfully in the US, check whether Kolkata still offers the priority slots news reports described in May 2026
• Look within India, not abroad: State Department guidance since 6 September 2025 says to book in your country of nationality or residence
• Watch for cancellations manually — the portal's terms prohibit access through bots, crawlers or scripts
• Save your reschedule for a slot that genuinely helps, since penalty-free changes are limited
• If your previous B-1/B-2 visa is valid or expired within 12 months, check interview waiver eligibility first — a separate queue
• Submit an expedited request if you meet a documented emergency criterion; each applicant may create only two
• Do not count on paying for speed: the State Department's $750 pilot for an interview within 10 business days, running to 31 December 2026, covered only posts in Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras on 28 September 2026

Slot-Booking Agents and Telegram Sellers — Why They Are a Trap

On scheduling forums in September 2026, one applicant who saw no dates said a friend had suggested an agent charging ₹40,000, a booking guide warned of scammers offering to book slots for a fee and noted Telegram channels running slot-tracking bots, and later in the month another applicant said an agent wanted $4,000 for an H-1B stamping appointment. Loss figures circulating online cannot be verified.

The official position is unambiguous. In March 2025 the US Mission in India said, as reported by Business Today, it had identified bad actors behind about 2,000 appointments that violated its scheduling policies, cancelled them, suspended those accounts' scheduling privileges and declared zero tolerance for agents and fixers. The portal's terms of use state that you may not access or use the website through automated means, including bots, crawlers or scripts. Daily login attempts are capped, and exceeding the limit may result in a temporary account suspension. If the system detects automation extensions, the calendar returns an Access limitation warning telling you to remove the tools and wait at least 24 hours. The very technique slot sellers advertise is the one that can lock you out of your own profile.

Never share your portal credentials — that hands over your official application profile. The US Mission in India publishes post-specific addresses for reporting suspected visa fraud.

Emergency Appointments — Who Actually Qualifies

The US consulates in India do consider expedited appointment requests, but the bar is high, documentation must be ready upfront, and each applicant may create only two expedited requests in total.

The official list of qualifying situations is short:

• Medical emergency, with evidence of the urgency and the need to travel
• Funeral or death of an immediate family member, with supporting documentation
• Urgent business travel that could not have been foreseen
• Students or exchange visitors facing a school start date
• Applicants whose ESTA was denied

What does not qualify is set out just as plainly: travel to attend weddings or graduation ceremonies, to assist pregnant relatives, to attend an annual business, academic or professional conference, or for last-minute tourism. Read that passage before you file: applicants on scheduling forums in late August and early September 2026 described refused requests, including families seeking earlier dates for dependants. On 22 September one applicant said they had spent two months looking for slots for parents who need visas for a wedding in the US, which does not qualify. The sequence matters too — you must complete the DS-160, pay the fee and book the first available regular appointment before a request is considered, and keep it while you await the emailed decision. A false emergency claim is noted on your case file and may influence the outcome. The request carries no extra fee — India is not among the posts in the State Department's paid $750 pilot — though the $185 MRV fee is non-refundable.

While You Wait — Getting Your File Interview-Ready

A long wait is genuinely painful. It is also an opportunity. The State Department's adjusted refusal rate for B visas was 22.04% for Indian nationals in fiscal year 2025, up from 16.32% in fiscal year 2024, and worldwide Section 214(b) accounted for about 3 million of the 3.9 million nonimmigrant ineligibility findings in fiscal year 2024. A 214(b) refusal means the officer was not convinced the applicant had strong enough ties to India to return after the visit. Building a coherent, consistent file during the wait does not guarantee approval, but it is the part of the process you control.

Key documents to prepare now:

• Financial statements covering the last six months — bank statements, salary slips, ITR filings
• Property documents, lease agreements, or any ownership proof showing assets in India
• Leave approval letter from employer if travelling for tourism, or invitation letter if visiting family
• Evidence of prior international travel and timely returns, especially to Schengen or other countries
• A DS-160 that is internally consistent — trip dates, purpose, host details, and employment information must all align

Visarun's document preparation service helps applicants organise their file and review the DS-160 for inconsistencies before the interview. The government MRV fee of $185 is included within our total fee of $205, with a service fee of $20 covering document review and application guidance. We do not control appointment scheduling — that happens exclusively through the official portal — but a well-prepared file means the interview itself is not wasted after a long wait.

Recent Changes (2025–2026)

• January 1, 2025 — US Mission India allowed one free reschedule, Business Today reported; a missed appointment or second reschedule means paying again
• February 18, 2025 — The Dropbox renewal window was cut from 48 months to 12, pushing many renewals into interviews
• March 26, 2025 — Mission India said it cancelled about 2,000 appointments that violated its scheduling policies, Business Today reported
• September 2, 2025 — Interview waiver narrowed to B1/B2 renewals by applicants at least 18 at the previous issuance, plus diplomatic categories
• September 6, 2025 — Nonimmigrant visa applicants were told to interview in their country of nationality or residence
• May 7, 2026 — Kolkata's consulate announced priority B1/B2 slots for parents aged 50 and over visiting children lawfully in the US, news reports said
• July 1, 2026 — A $750 fee for a B1/B2 interview within 10 business days took effect at participating posts, through December 31, 2026
• July 21 and August 18, 2026 — The pilot went live in Mexico, then Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras; no Indian post was listed by 28 September 2026
• September 17, 2026 — The monthly wait-time table put India's next B1/B2 appointment at 6.5 months in Kolkata to 12 in Hyderabad (August: 4 to 14)
• September 30, 2026 — Consular sections throughout India close to visa applicants for all services, including 221(g) appointments and document drop-off and pick-up

Rules and fees changed often in 2024–2026, so check ustraveldocs.com and travel.state.gov before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I see dates on the CGI Federal portal but cannot select them?

Dates shown in grey or marked unavailable cannot be booked, and no official release schedule is published. The official terms also note that precise availability only becomes visible after the visa application fee has been paid, so the calendar before payment is not a reliable picture. In September 2026 some Reddit users saw only a "No slots available" message; late in the month others reported a calendar that would not load, a payment gateway error lasting more than 24 hours and a profile still locked to a previous country of residence. For faults like these, US Mission India says visa-related enquiries go to its customer service centre. Otherwise, keep monitoring for new releases or cancellations at your preferred post.

Can I book a B1/B2 interview at Hyderabad if I live in Delhi?

For an in-person interview, yes — US Mission India said in December 2024, as reported by Business Today, that from 1 January 2025 applicants can schedule their first appointment at the location of their choice. Hyderabad, however, is not a shortcut: the State Department's wait-time table dated 17 September 2026 put its next available B1/B2 appointment at 12 months, the longest in India and two months beyond Delhi's 10, while Kolkata was shortest at 6.5. Check the current table before booking travel. Interview waiver differs: law firms reported that US Mission India centralized B1/B2 waiver appointments in New Delhi in March 2024.

My previous B1/B2 visa expired 14 months ago. Do I still qualify for Dropbox?

No. The renewal window for interview waiver eligibility is 12 months from the date of expiry. There is also a buffer: your submission appointment must fall at least 15 calendar days inside that 12-month window, otherwise you will be routed to a biometric appointment and a full in-person interview.

I already rescheduled once. What happens if I need to move the date again?

US Mission India said in December 2024, as reported by Business Today, that from 1 January 2025 applicants can reschedule once without charge; a missed appointment or a second reschedule means paying again. The scheduling site warns you at that limit, and if you cancel after the warning, the fee payment becomes invalid and you must pay a new $185 MRV fee to book again. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Is it safe to pay a Telegram agent to book a slot for me?

No. Appointments are booked only through the official portal, and its terms of use prohibit accessing the site through automated means, including bots, crawlers or scripts. Daily login attempts are capped, exceeding the cap may result in a temporary account suspension, and detected automation extensions produce an access limitation block with a 24-hour wait. In March 2025 US Mission India said it cancelled about 2,000 appointments that violated its scheduling policies and suspended those accounts' scheduling privileges, Business Today reported. Sharing your credentials with a Telegram or WhatsApp seller also hands over your application profile.

What documents do I need for a medical emergency expedite request?

Documentary evidence of the urgency and of the need to travel to the United States — a letter from a licensed physician, details of the treating facility or specialist, and proof of your relationship to the patient if you are accompanying a family member. Submit the expedited request form through the official portal after paying the fee and booking the first available appointment. Each applicant may create only two expedited requests in total.

Will a 214(b) refusal from a previous application hurt my new application?

A prior refusal is not an automatic bar to applying again. You must disclose it on the DS-160. A new application with stronger evidence of ties to India — property, employment, family, financial assets — can overcome a prior 214(b) refusal. The consular officer evaluates each application on its current merits, though the prior refusal will be visible in your record.

How long does it take to get the visa stamped after the interview?

Official guidance puts visa processing at typically seven to ten working days, though cases vary. Applications flagged for administrative processing under 221(g) can take several weeks to several months. Applicants should not book non-refundable flights until the passport with the stamped visa is physically in hand.

What is the current MRV fee for a B1/B2 visa application from India?

The Machine Readable Visa fee for a B1/B2 application is $185. It is non-refundable and non-transferable whether the application is approved, refused or cancelled, and it must be paid through the official portal before an interview date can be booked. The payment is valid for 365 days, and you must schedule your appointment within that period. A separate $250 Visa Integrity Fee, legislated in July 2025, had no officially published collection start date and was not on the State Department's fee page on 28 September 2026, though some posts were reportedly charging it by May 2026; under the law it is due only if a visa is issued.

How does Visarun.ai help if it cannot book the appointment for me?

Visarun helps applicants prepare a complete, consistent application file — DS-160 review, document checklist, and guidance on presenting ties to India effectively. The total cost is $205, which includes the $185 government MRV fee and a $20 service fee. Appointment scheduling happens through the official portal; no agent, including Visarun, can access or influence that queue. What we address is the quality of the file you bring to the interview, which is the part of the process within your control.