State Department Sees ‘Off the Charts’ Demand for U.S. Visas

Skift Take

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said at the Skift Global Forum that the State Department is still working to reduce wait times in countries like Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and India.

Meghna Maharishi

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said the State Department has largely been able to get visa wait times back to pre-pandemic levels as it grapples with record levels of demand. 

However, Verma said that the department is still working to reduce wait times for first-time visa applications from countries like Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and India. 

“We still have some wait times that are too high,” Verma said at the Skift Global Forum on Tuesday. “The volume has been incredible, which is a great thing.”

In the first three quarters of the fiscal year the U.S. has issued 8 million visas. Last year, the U.S. had 67 million international visitors, which Verma described as “record numbers.”

“The numbers are off the charts,” he said. “Again, a good problem to have in terms of wait times.” 

Push to Reduce Passport Backlogs

Congress recently set aside $50 million for the State Department to “reduce passport backlogs and reduce visa wait times.” The State Department told Skift in November that it expected wait times for first-time visitor visas to span hundreds of days for Colombia, Mexico and India due to high demand. 

Since the pandemic, the State Department has dealt with a visa backlog fueled by staffing shortages and pent-up demand. Some countries have dealt with visa wait times as long as two years.

Reducing visa wait times has now become a priority for the U.S. travel industry, especially as the country looks to host major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Verma said the department wants to reduce these wait times, but it’s also focused on stamping out any “bad actors.”

“There are bad governments out there trying to create fraud in the system,” he said. 

Verma added that the State Department has been working with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure it can “focus on the right groups of people.” Currently, around 40% of applicants don’t require an interview, he said. 

“In other words, if we can waive the interview for categories of people, we should do that,” Verma said. 

In separate developments, the Verma told the Skift Global Forum Tuesday that the State Department plans to roll out its online passport renewal option on September 18.