Archive · 11 Oct 2026
US Visitor Visa Interview Waits Stretch Across 15 Cities
Many people applying to visit the United States have to wait a long time for an interview.
The article ranks 15 cities with the longest waits for visitor visa interviews.
These visas are for short business trips or tourism.
The figures show the wait for the next interview, not the whole visa approval process.
Staffing shortages, more applications and older backlogs are listed as reasons for the delays.
A report cited by Visual Capitalist says nonimmigrant visa officers fell from 1,342 in 2024 to 904 in 2025.
Six Canadian cities are among 20 places with waits of at least 14 months.
Applicants can check the US Department of State’s website for updated estimates.
The estimates can change and are not guarantees.
The ranking lists 15 cities with the longest estimated waits for the next B1/B2 visitor visa interview.
The estimates are based on US Department of State data as of September 17, 2026, compiled by Visual Capitalist.
B1/B2 visas cover temporary business travel and tourism; interview waits are not the total time for visa approval.
Staffing constraints, increased demand and backlogs accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic are cited as contributors to delays.
Six Canadian cities—Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec and Calgary—are among 20 locations reporting waits of at least 14 months.
- Who
- People seeking US B1/B2 visitor visas.
- What
- A ranking identifies cities with the longest estimated waits for the next interview appointment.
- When
- Data reported as of September 17, 2026.
- Where
- US consulates in cities worldwide, including six cities in Canada.
- Why
- Staffing constraints, rising demand and backlogs accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to long waits.
Reasons for long waits
Applicant guidance and limitations
What is driving delays
Reasons for long waits
Staffing constraints, rising demand and backlogs from the Covid-19 pandemic are cited as contributors; the number of nonimmigrant visa officers fell from 1,342 in 2024 to 904 in 2025.
Applicant guidance and limitations
The article does not present a competing explanation for the delays.
Meaning of published wait estimates
Reasons for long waits
The figures estimate the wait for the next available B1/B2 interview and highlight lengthy delays in multiple cities.
Applicant guidance and limitations
The estimates are not guarantees and do not show the full time required for visa approval; additional administrative processing may follow an interview.
- Visa type
- B1/B2, for temporary business travel and tourism
- Ranking source
- Visual Capitalist, using US Department of State data
- Data date
- September 17, 2026
- Visa officers in 2024
- 1,342 nonimmigrant visa officers
- Visa officers in 2025
- 904 nonimmigrant visa officers, nearly one-third fewer than in 2024
- Canadian cities listed
- Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec and Calgary
- Canadian city wait threshold
- All six are reported among 20 locations with waits of 14 months or more
- Check current estimates
- US Department of State Global Visa Wait Times page