US Embassy Cancels 2000 Visa Appointments In India. Here's Why
The US Embassy in India has canceled approximately 2,000 fraudulent visa appointments made by bots in violation of scheduling policies.
The US Embassy in India has cancelled around 2,000 visa appointments made by "bad actors". The US Consular team in India said that the appointments were made fraudulently through bots.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Embassy said: "Consular Team India is canceling about 2000 visa appointments made by bots. We have zero tolerance for agents and fixers that violate our scheduling policies."
It further said: "Consular team India identified bad actors who made about 2,000 visa appointments that violated our scheduling policies. Effective immediately, we are cancelling these appointments and suspending the associated accounts' scheduling privileges."
"We will continue our anti-fraud efforts. We have zero tolerance for fraud," the Embassy added.
Consular Team India is canceling about 2000 visa appointments made by bots. We have zero tolerance for agents and fixers that violate our scheduling policies. pic.twitter.com/ypakf99eCo
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) March 26, 2025
Visa Seekers Pay Up To Rs 35,000 For Early Appointments
According to the Times Of India, Visa seekers often pay Rs 30,000-35,000 to secure timely slots. The US Embassy move aims to curb the widespread practice of agents using bots to secure coveted interview dates — forcing many desperate applicants to pay the hefty fees.
The Harsh Reality Of Visa Wait Times
For years, securing a US visa appointment in India has been a challenge, with long wait times for business (B1/B2) and student visas. Many applicants, unable to find slots on their own, turn to agents who promise quick appointments — for a price.
TOI quoted an applicant, speaking anonymously, as saying: “We tried booking a visa interview date ourselves for our child who needed to join an American university last fall, but there were no available slots in time. Eventually, we paid an agent Rs 30,000 and got an appointment right away.”
Similarly, while the official wait time for a B1/B2 visa can stretch beyond six months, those willing to pay Rs 30,000-35,000 to agents often secure an appointment within a month.
How Bots Manipulate The System
The TOI report explained that agents deploy bots to snap up available appointments as soon as they appear, leaving ordinary applicants unable to book slots directly. The problem was particularly severe last year when wait times for B1/B2 visas peaked at nearly 999 days. The backlog forced the US to offer visa appointments for Indian applicants at consulates in Frankfurt, Bangkok, and other locations.
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