The United States Department of State’s large gains in the number of visas issued overseas in 2022 remains muted by extreme wait times that a large number of visitors, as well as immigrants and tourists, face reaching this country, a report provided by Bloomberg, shows.
The same report notes that the US embassies as well as consulates issued over 200,000 more immigrant visas overseas last fiscal year compared to 2021, VisaGuide.World reports.
The figures provided above mean that 4.1 million more temporary, non-immigrant visas were granted last year, compared to 2021, based on the Visa Office’s report.
The spread of the Coronavirus and its new variants led authorities in the US to introduce strict measures to prevent an increase in the number of infections, introducing travel bans and other restrictions, among others, reducing the number of visas granted for non-essential purposes.
However, the figures provided in January show the return of State Department services that were limited due to the COVID-19 situation.
The report shows that despite the fact that some US missions in some famous source countries such as India have taken additional steps to reduce long waiting times for travelers who must secure visa interviews before visiting the US, industry representatives while acknowledging the progress expressed concerns regarding the wait times that some travelers face, especially tourists and travelers from India, Brazil and Mexico.
In this regard, the President and CEO of the United States Travel Association said that new visa issuance numbers are a step in the right direction.
“But it’s all relative. Travel to the US is still only 63 per cent of what it was pre-pandemic, which translates to billions less in spending. We’ve taken these travelers for granted. That’s a decision that has enormous economic implications,” Freeman pointed out, according to a Bloomberg report.
Over 90 per cent of visitors to the United States don’t need to go to an overseas embassy or consulate before traveling, however, first-time applicants, taking also into account those seeking B-1 and B-2 temporary visas for tourism and business purposes are required to attend an interview before getting the documentation.
Authorities in the United States have continuously attempted to reduce wait times in order to facilitate the travel process. However, wait times will be reduced once consulates are fully staffed again, according to senior counsel at Berry Appleman and Leiden LLP and a former State Department official, Tiffany Derentz.
The post US: Despite Visa Issuances Rebound, Long Waits Continue to Remain Significant Problem appeared first on VisaGuide.World.
