The US embassy is committed to clearing the backlog of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas as soon as feasible as consular services begin.
The US embassy hosted a briefing on this topic on Wednesday, during which the consul general discussed ways to reduce the backlog of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications, says a press release issued on Wednesday.
Nathan Flook, consul general at the US Embassy in Dhaka, said consular services are a top priority for both the US government generally and the US Embassy in Bangladesh particularly.
Given that personnel was at a minimum during the Covid-19 outbreak, the US Department of State was compelled to make challenging decisions about how to prioritize visa applications, he added.
“We are dedicated to eliminating the backlog in immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications as soon as consular services are resumed,” said Nathan Flook.
He also said: “The Covid-19 outbreak significantly reduced the capacity of the US visa processing system, as it did for many other service providers. We were limited in our ability to see visa applicants because of limits on entering the United States and prohibitions on using public areas, such as our foreign consular waiting rooms. These limitations limited the quantity of visa applications the US Embassy could handle because a large percentage of applicants are required by US law to appear in person.”
Courtesy“We acknowledge the hardship that resulted due to the reduced operating capacity, and we are committed to resolving the visa backlog as quickly as possible,” he continued.
The Consular General stated that over the past six months, consular staff members have worked weekends and conducted interviews with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applicants on special workdays they refer to as "Super Friday" in order to ensure that as many applicants as possible receive interviews.
He further mentioned that another way the US Department of State has reduced the wait time is to waive in-person interviews for several key visa categories, including many students.
“Consular officers now have the discretion to waive the interview requirement for student visa applicants if the student was previously issued any type of visa and meets certain criteria. In addition, applicants renewing nonimmigrant visas in the same classification within 48 months of their prior visa's expiration are eligible to apply without an in-person interview, if they otherwise meet certain criteria. This approach has already reduced the wait time for an interview appointment at many embassies and consulates,” he said.
Another issue he mentioned is regarding visa consultants, commonly referred to as visa brokers. He said: “A visa consultant is not necessary to obtain a visa interview appointment. They often charge additional fees and provide inappropriate advice, like creating fake documents. The best guidance for prospective visa applicants is to review information on our website.”
The last topic Nathan discussed in the briefing is about student visas. Mentioning that promoting the opportunity for qualified international students to study in the United States remains a top priority for the US government he said: “In 2022, the US Embassy in Dhaka issued over 7,400 F-1 student visas, more than any year in the past decade. The US Embassy prioritized student and exchange visitor visa interviews to ensure prospective students were able to make their program start dates. We will continue to prioritize interviews for as many qualified students as possible, while also working to reduce wait times for other visa categories, such as the B1/B2 tourist and business visa.”
In conclusion, the consular general shared a few key points for nonimmigrant visa applicants such as the importance of advance travel planning and applying early for a visa appointment, the necessity to monitor the appointment calendar on the US embassy website, ensuring that they upload their current visa application or DS-160 at least two weeks before their scheduled interview, requesting an emergency appointment for applicants with an urgent need to travel to the United States.
