The predicted waiting period for securing a US visa interview appointment at the Embassy in New Delhi for business or tourist visas (B1/B2 category) stood at 10 months as of November 20, according to data shared by the government in Parliament on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the US Administration has recently announced that every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

Singh provided a tabulated category-wise and embassy or consulate-wise breakdown of waiting periods for US visas in India.

The US State Department website provides similar category-wise and Embassy/Consulate-wise waiting periods, he added.

According to the data, for F, M and J visas, the predicted waiting period at the US Embassy is 0.5 months.

The F category visa is for students, M for vocational or non-academic courses, and J for exchange visitors.

H visas are for specialty occupations, L visas for intracompany transfers, P visas for athletes, artists or entertainers, O visas for individuals with extraordinary ability, and Q visas for cultural exchange, the note attached to the data said.

At the US consulates in India, the predicted waiting periods for B1/B2 visas are as follows:

Kolkata 5 months, Mumbai 9.5 months, Hyderabad 5 months, and Chennai 3 months.

For F, M and J visas, the corresponding periods are Kolkata 2.5 months, Mumbai 3 months, Hyderabad 2.5 months, and Chennai 2 months.

For H, L, O, P and Q category visas, the predicted waiting period at the US Embassy and the Kolkata consulate is not available.

The corresponding periods for other consulates are Mumbai 1 month, Hyderabad 2 months, and Chennai 1 month.

Singh said the US Administration has emphasized that every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

He added, "The US will ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and US national interests, and that all applicants will need to credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission."

The US has also clarified that a visa is a privilege and not a right. Singh noted, "As part of the follow-up measures, the US Administration (through notifications dated June 18 and December 3 respectively) has expanded screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States. This is applicable for student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications, as well as H-1B applicants and their dependents (H4 visa applicants), further impacting visa appointment schedules."

Visa issuance and related policies are the sovereign prerogative of the concerned country, Singh said.

The government of India remains engaged with the US government to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks that streamline legal mobility for students and professionals, as well as facilitate short-term tourist and business travel.