The wait times for first-time visitor visas in Colombia, Mexico, and India are continuing to cause difficulties for the U.S. travel industry.
The long wait times are projected to result in a $12bn loss in visitor spending for the U.S. travel industry this year.
Chris Freeman of US Travel told IPW 2023 that the US inbound tourism body was working with the State Department to find ways of speeding up the process but State Department plans to tackle the issue in 2024 and reduce wait times have been waylaid.
Previously, the visa backlog was due to pent-up demand and staffing shortages caused by the pandemic but demand has increased as post pandemic travel recovered.
The highest wait times were observed in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and India, which are significant visitor markets for the U.S. Some embassies, like Mumbai, had wait times of over two years.
The State Department has implemented initiatives to reduce the backlog, such as waiving interview requirements, conducting interviews on weekends, and increasing processing staff. Some progress has been made in key markets like India and Brazil, but wait times remain substantial in certain countries.
Chinese demand for visitor visas is still significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels. Chinese tourists are essential for the U.S. travel industry’s recovery, as they spend more than any other nationality in the country.
Millions of Chinese nationals will need to renew their 10-year visas next year, and the State Department won’t require interviews for most of them, which is seen as positive news for streamlining the process.
