How To Reschedule US Visa Appointment In India

Indian nationals applying for a non-immigrant or a B1/B2 visitor visa must attend a visa interview. Furthermore, an interview is mandatory for a non-immigrant visa application approval. Therefore, should ideally make two separate US visa appointments in India for this process:

• First is the US biometrics or OFC appointment, where you provide your fingerprints and digital photo ID.
• The second is for your US visa interview.

During your interview process, you must establish strong attachment with India to prove that you do not intend to seek permanent residency in the US. If the interviewer suspects otherwise and thinks you do not intend to return, they can reject your application.

Additionally, before you start packing, look into getting overseas travelling insurance. Travel insurance may not guarantee visa approval or speed up the process, but it can still help and prove useful. One instance is that it can signal to the embassy that you can financially support yourself during your stay in the country and that you are financially covered during emergencies.

You can reschedule your visa appointment if you cannot make it to the embassy's allotted appointment date and time. Remember that you can reschedule only a limited number of times. You'll need to reschedule by 4:30 pm local time, two business days before your appointment at the Visa Application Center (VAC), to avoid being marked as a no-show.

If you haven't yet applied for a nonimmigrant US visa, head to the CGI Federal portal, register for an account and go through the application process first.

Here is a step-by-step process on you how you can reschedule your visa appointment:

1. Head to the CGI Federal portal and log in to your account.
2. On the left side of your dashboard, you'll see a "Reschedule Appointment" option that you need to choose.
3. Provide the necessary information, and follow the instructions on the site to reschedule your appointment.

As stated, limit the number of times you reschedule your appointment. There is a US visa appointment reschedule limit in India. If you reach that limit, you will receive a warning message and have two options. You can attend the interview on the given date or cancel your US visa appointment.

You must pay the application/appointment fees again if you choose to cancel your appointment. Furthermore, if you fail to attend either or both of your appointments, you will be marked absent or a no-show and need to reschedule your visa appointment within the next 120 days from your no-show date. So plan accordingly.

Similarly, cancelled flight tickets are often considered a lost expense due to the ever-changing nature of airline regulations. So getting flight cancellation insurance from Tata AIG can be beneficial, as it can help recover those costs.

Note: You have the option to either email yourself or download your appointment confirmation. You must do this after scheduling or rescheduling your visa appointment. As you'll need proof when attending your appointment in India. So make sure to maintain this document and keep it in a safe place.

For further assistance and information, visit the FAQ section on their official site.

There are some instances where people can waive the US visa interview process. You can do this by calling the US Embassy Visa Application Center (VAC), the National Visa Center (NVC) or through their official website. Here are some conditions for a waiver:

• You're a national or citizen of one of the countries under the Visa Waiver Program. Citizens from countries not included in the list will only be exempt if they meet the other requirements listed here.
• It should be noted that citizens from countries under the Visa Waiver Program can't get a waiver for all visa types. For example, they can't get waivers for student/exchange visas or other nonimmigrant visas.
• You should be applying for an A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa.
• You're either a minor under 14 years of age or a senior citizen over 79 years.
• You're applying for a visa renewal under a Border Crossing Card, B-1/B-2, C-1/D, F, J, M, or O visa.
• People applying for E-3, T, U, H-1, or blanket L-1 visas are not eligible for waivers and need to attend the visa interview appointment.

An OFC appointment, short for Offsite Facilitation Center, is an appointment you must make to provide your biometric information. An OFC appointment usually precedes the actual visa interview appointment and must be scheduled before your visa interview.

During the OFC appointment, you must provide information like your fingerprints, photo ID, etc. Your visa interview is the actual interview where you will be asked about the purpose of your visit and be asked to present your valid documents.

Furthermore, scheduling your OFC appointment before your interview appointment ensures a shortened visa appointment time and a simplified process.

US visa processes are notoriously complex and drawn out due to their long waiting periods. This is why you must know your way around the processes that go into your visa approval and the rescheduling process if you can't attend your appointment.

After getting your visa approved, you must also consider getting an international travel insurance plan from Tata AIG. They can be beneficial if you frequently travel, and we can help you better navigate and handle situations in case anything were to go wrong during your trip.

Information last updated June '23.
While this information is sourced reliably, visa requirements can change. For the most current visa details, visit the official Consulate/Embassy website.