Extra staff and extended working hours are being implemented to resolve the backlog with visa applications for tourist or business travel to America, says recently appointed US ambassador to SA Reuben Brigety.
Acknowledging the long waiting lists since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, he pledged to add an additional 10,000 visa interviews by Christmas and return visa application wait times to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year.
Brigety said interview waivers would also be offered to eligible applicants renewing visas in the same class whose previous visas had expired within the last 48 months.
Additional interview waiver possibilities exist through the end of 2022 for first-time H2A and other visa categories.
📢 Good news for South Africans looking to travel to the United States! We aim to significantly reduce appointment wait times for non-immigrant visa applicants by December 2022. 📢 #VisaServices #USVisa #TravelToUS pic.twitter.com/Hyj2cboYRc
— US Embassy SA (@USEmbassySA) September 14, 2022
“Vaccine passports” have been eased since June, meaning air passengers will not need to get tested and show a negative Covid-19 test result or show documentation of recovery before boarding a flight to the US.
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