Planning a trip to the US? The US Embassy in South Africa has encouraged residents to apply for their visas as early as possible to avoid a longer than usual wait.
The embassy said all visa applications at US consulates in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are processed as efficiently as possible, and it "aims to keep the wait time for appointments at a minimum".
“However, heavy demand for US visas has currently led to a longer than usual wait time in South Africa.
“We encourage all potential travellers to apply for their visas at least three months before the planned travel date,” it said.
The embassy said it makes every effort to accommodate emergency travel and humanitarian situations. However, not every request for an expedited appointment can be accommodated.
“For those already with valid visas, a renewal application can be submitted at any time, and we encourage these travellers not to wait until their current visa has expired to apply for a new one.
“If a visa is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months, the traveller may be eligible to renew by mail without an interview.”
If you plan to apply for a non-immigrant visa to go to the US as a temporary visitor, you can review the current wait time for an interview using the tool available here.
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