Travel Advisory: State of Visa Appointments at U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India Due to Rise In COVID-19

The number of new cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 has significantly increased in India. As a result, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice advising all against travel to India. ILBSG will keep monitoring the situation and advise when CDC lifts the advisory.

Due to the rise of COVID, the U.S. Consulate Offices in India have updated the service they provide to applicants and visa seekers. Please see below the updates for each consulate office.

For Mumbai Consulate office: This office is only providing essential services to U.S. citizens and limited and emergency nonimmigrant and immigrant service until further notice.

For New Delhi Embassy: All New Delhi U.S. Embassy’s in-person visa appointments and interview-waiver appointments are canceled from April 26, 2021, to May 9, 2021. If you have an emergency appointment already scheduled at this office, they have stated they will make every attempt to honor your appointment. It is important to monitor your email to see whether your emergency appointment has been canceled. The New Delhi Consulate Office is still providing service on an emergency basis for U.S. citizens.

Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata: These offices will continue to offer limited visa appointments, but they may cancel certain appointments depending on the local conditions. Clients who already have an appointment should continue to monitor their email. Applicants not notified of an appointment cancellation should plan to attend their interview on the scheduled date and time. The Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata consulates will continue to add appointments as often as available, thus keep checking the US Travel Docs website.

DropBox Applications: Except the New Delhi’s consular district, Visa Application Centers in all the other consular sections across India are accepting DropBox applications for renewals of nonimmigrant visa categories for applicants who qualify.

As always, ILBSG remains dedicated to its clients. We are on high alert and closely monitoring all new immigration and travel developments, including monitoring travel advisory situations around the globe. If you need advice, reach out to an ILBSG attorney today. Feel free to contact us via our main phone number and select ext. 9 for emergency support.