US Embassy and Consulates in India Extend Validity of Visa Payments

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"The US Embassy and Consulates in India have good news for hopeful visa applicants. Indian travelers seeking a US Visa will have extended validity of their visa payment, also known as the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee until September 30, 2023. This extension is for applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment due to pandemic-related restrictions."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Nov 10, 2021

The US Embassy and Consulates in India have good news for hopeful visa applicants. Indian travelers seeking a US Visa will have extended validity of their visa payment, also known as the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee until September 30, 2023. This extension is for applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment due to pandemic-related restrictions.

Why Was this Extension Granted?

The US Department of State Visa Appointment Service stated that the US Embassy and Consulates in India must accommodate visa applicants who have paid their visa processing fees and are waiting to schedule their visa interview. The Department is working diligently to restore all embassy and consulate operations to normal while still adhering to the local Covid-19 restrictions. The validity of the applicant’s visa payment will be extended until September 30, 2023, to allow them time to schedule their visa appointment.

Due to the pandemic situation in India, the Visa Appointment Centers at US Embassies and Consulates in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata were operating on partial capacity. Only emergency visa services were being offered for limited visa categories. Recently, the US government announced the relaxation of Covid-19 related travel restrictions from November 8, 2021, to allow fully-vaccinated travelers to travel to the US.

What Can Applicants Do to Get an Expedited Request?

Applicants who already have a scheduled appointment but want to get it expedited by visiting the online appointment system.

To get an expedited appointment, you need to have a confirmed interview appointment date. If your request is approved, you will be notified via email with the instructions for the interview. Do not cancel your existing appointment without receiving a confirmation of approval for your request. If you haven’t heard back from the consulate, then your request is still under consideration. Since there are very limited appointment slots and a high volume of requests, you should not miss your visa interview appointment.