Last updated: 08/17/21
* Effective May 4, the entry into the United States of certain nonimmigrant travelers who have been physically present in India is suspended by Presidential Proclamation. U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPR), and immigrants are not subject to the proclamation. The suspension of entry also does not apply to non-U.S. citizen spouses, unmarried children or siblings under the age of 21 of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, or to parents or legal guardians of unmarried U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents under the age of 21. Students with valid F-1 or M-1 visas intending to begin or continue academic studies beginning August 1, 2021 or later may enter the United States up to 30 days prior to the start of their studies. More information is available at travel.state.gov.
**Effective January 26, all incoming airline passengers to the United States aged two years and older must provide results of a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the United States may provide documentation from a licensed healthcare provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel. Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.
Source: https://in.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
S. Embassy New Delhi and the U.S. Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai are open for limited routine visa and citizens services at this time. We continue to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens.
S. citizens and visa applicants who are granted appointments at U.S. Embassy New Delhi or any U.S. consulate in India must wear masks upon entering the premises and are prohibited from entering these facilities if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to anyone known to have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 14 days.
Student visas remain a top priority for the U.S. Mission to India, and we are making every attempt to facilitate student travel in time for the fall semester. If you have not yet been able to schedule a visa appointment, please keep checking our website, https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en, for availability. We continue to add additional July and August student visa appointments at posts across India as conditions allow.
Prior to your visa interview, please review your I-20 program start date. Students beginning a new program with a program start date on or after August 1 may travel to the United States up to 30 days prior to the program start date and do not need a national interest exception. Continuing students may also resume their programs on or after August 1, and travel 30 days before their program resumption date. We are unable to approve expedite requests for Fall 2021 students with scheduled appointments in July or August. If your appointment date may result in a potentially late start, please reach out to your school to discuss potential flexibility on program start dates.
Drop Box Appointments: Consular sections across India are now accepting a limited number of drop box applications for renewals of H, L, C1/D, O, I, F, M, and J t Visa Application Centers. Please visit our website to determine whether you are eligible for drop box processing and schedule an appointment for document drop-off. A list of drop-off locations is available on our website.
How to Request an Expedited Appointment: Applicants can request an expedited appointment through our online appointment system at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/expedited-appointment. You must already have a confirmed interview appointment date in order to request an expedited appointment. If your emergency appointment request is approved, you will be notified with instructions via email. You should not cancel your existing appointment unless you receive a confirmation that your request for an emergency appointment has been approved. If you have not yet received an approval or denial, your request is still under consideration.
Please note that due to our very limited operational capacity and the high volume of requests, we cannot accommodate all urgent travelers prior to their planned travel dates. Additionally, cases may remain under review until conditions allow us to safely increase the number of appointments. We are unable to approve expedite requests for Fall 2021 students with scheduled appointments in July or August. If your appointment date may result in a potentially late start, please reach out to your school to discuss options.
Visa Fees Validity Extension: The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India understand that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment. We are working diligently to restore all routine visa operations as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, rest assured that the U.S. Mission will extend the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2022, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee. Please continue to monitor this site for information on when we will return to routine visa operations.
More information: https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/
Last update by HB Studio: September 29, 2021