The Department of State’s visa processing capacity has exceeded expectations, issuing more nonimmigrant visas (NIVs) worldwide in 2023 than any year since 2015.
The latest statistics reveal that in 2023, 230 US Embassies and Consulates globally issued 10.4 million visas, marking a record-breaking number of nonimmigrant visas granted for a decade. In March 2023, over one million visas were issued – the highest number of visas granted since 2017, VisaGuide.World reports.
In a press release by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the authority said they are working on reducing wait times for visitor visa applicants requiring in-person interviews as well as considering technological improvements to facilitate visa processing. The goal is to have over 90 percent of overseas posts with visitor visa interview wait times under 90 days in 2024.
Efforts to improve efficiency during the pandemic included waiving in-person interviews for key visa categories, such as students and temporary workers crucial to U.S. industries. Applicants renewing nonimmigrant visas in the same classification within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration were also eligible for interview waivers, contributing to a 40 percent reduction in in-person interviews for over 10.4 million travelers in the past 12 months.
Some of the positive outputs of the Department of State include issuing 563,000 immigrant visas, with 30 of their missions issuing the largest number of immigrant visas historically. In addition, the US consulates have reduced the overall immigrant visa interview scheduling backlog by nearly half, from nearly 532,000 in July 2021 to just over 275,500.
Prioritizing student and exchange visitor visa interviews, the Department facilitated the issuance of 830,000 visas in this category, injecting up to $38 billion annually into the country’s economy.
Moreover, the processing of seasonal agricultural and non-agricultural workers reached a record-breaking 442,000 visas granted in 2023, supporting critical sectors of the US economy and offering a legal alternative to irregular migration. The issuance of visas to airline and shipping crewmembers (C1/D) also reached an all-time high of 365,000 visas issued, ensuring the maintenance of international transportation and supply chains.
While the Department of State’s processing capacity has rebounded faster than projected, some visitor visa applicants still face extended wait times due to high demand. The Department encourages applicants to consider alternative embassies or consulates with shorter wait times and ensures them that choosing an appointment outside their home country will not disadvantage applicants.
We are building the infrastructure and designing the processes necessary to launch a pilot program for the domestic renewal of employment visas in January.
When fully implemented in the future, this program will allow many temporary workers resident in the country to renew their visas without having to go abroad. After assessing the results of the limited-scale pilot, the Department will determine how to broaden the domestic renewal program to receive more applicants and petition-based visa categories in 2024.