Good news for US visa hopefuls! Fast-pace visa initiative ‘Super Saturday’ tomorrow; Check details

The US Embassy in New Delhi, along with its Consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, is set to open its doors this Saturday, December 7, to facilitate in-person visa interviews for applicants. This initiative, dubbed “Super Saturday,” aims to maximise the number of visa interviews conducted to address the growing demand for US travel.

Since its inception in January 2024, the “Super Saturday” program has been part of a broader strategy to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants. This marks the fourth such event, reflecting the increasing interest in travel between the United States and India.

The US Mission’s efforts to manage the surge in visa applications include several key measures:

– The Department of State has introduced remote processing for interview waiver cases for those with previous US visas.

– An increase in the number of consular officers assigned to the Embassy and Consulates is also underway.

Mark McGovern, Consul General at the US Embassy in New Delhi, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, stating, “This year, we’ve already processed more than one million visas across India, and we are thrilled to host our fourth ‘Super Saturday.’ Each visa represents a family reunion, a business opportunity, or a student’s educational journey in the U.S.”

McGovern emphasised the strengthened people-to-people ties between the US and India, acknowledging the heightened demand for visas. “We’re committed to maintaining this momentum, even if it means working on Saturdays. The impact we have on individuals and families makes this work incredibly rewarding,” he added.

The U.S. Mission to India continues prioritising legitimate travel, processing thousands of visas, including record numbers for students and employment. Currently, interview wait times for other visa categories have returned to pre-pandemic levels or are even lower.

In related news, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received sufficient petitions to meet the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 H-1B visas for regular applicants and an additional 20,000 visas designated for US advanced degree holders, commonly referred to as the master’s cap, for fiscal year 2025. In the coming days, USCIS will notify registrants of their selection status via their online accounts.