US Tourist Visa - Appointment Processing Times

Though Irish, I'm ineligible to apply via an ESTA.

So I need to attend an appointment but the appointment website states that the average processing time to wait for an appointment is 163 days?

Surely this cannot be right; 5-months!

Does anyone know if this is accurate? Have you managed to apply recently for an appointment and managed to get it reasonably short-notice (even 1-2 months is acceptable, but 5-months seems extreme).

ReturningForY

Yeah, it's sort of crazy but a 5 month wait time is normal right now for tourist visas. It could be worse - Bogota has a two year wait time apparently!

US Embassies basically shut down during Covid, and now there is a large backlog of people wanting to get a tourist visa. From what I can tell the embassies seems to be prioritizing student/work/other kinds of visas, so the net effect is a long wait time for tourist visas.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119061660#Comment_119061660

I see, makes sense I suppose. What a shame, though.

Off to Canada instead, then!

circular flexing

You could get lucky and get a cancellation. Would need to be checking the embassy website pretty frequently though.

ShatterResistant

Just on my own recent experience of this - applied in January and was quoted an appointment of October. Ended up getting an appointment for September due to a cancellation. Arrived for my 8:15am appointment at 8am, where we were treated like drunken punters in the queue for the nightclub. I had a laptop in my bag and was told to come back next year with a new appointment unless I could drop off my laptop somewhere and be back within 15 minutes of my appointment. I just managed to do this as I work around the corner, no problem with the rules/need to be thorough, but the pleasure taken in telling me to get lost had me taken aback. On getting in to the security check point they were also very rude and actively intimidating - fair enough they have to be strict, and perhaps some of it is tactic, but I really wasn't expecting it. Consular officers were pleasant once inside the building itself. For anyone going for an appointment, have your ducks in a row going there, be early, and don't bring anything more than you need e.g. bags/electronics etc. it is airport level security.

Does anyone know how long it takes for passports to be returned via DPD courier from them? They state 2-3 weeks when applying but curious if this is overstated to allow for times when it is busy?

JimmyChew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700352#Comment_119700352

3 weeks sounds about right. They don't mess about in that que. +1 on having all your duck in a row, something simple can set you back months. On the poster asking about interview wait times, keep checking back on the website daily and you might get lucky.