The waiting period for Brazilians seeking to schedule an interview for their first US visa (either tourism or business) has been reduced, currently standing at 220 days, based on recent data from the US Travel Association.
The association’s report further indicates that visa waiting times in major markets for the US, such as Mexico and India, have been steadily increasing.
As of August 11, the wait in Mexico is 726 days, a rise from 701 days at the start of the previous month, and in India, it’s 484 days, up from 410 days the previous month.
Other nations like Colombia have a wait time of 797 days, the Dominican Republic at 340 days.
China, the third-largest source of travelers to the US in 2019, has an average wait of 187 days.
Despite the addition of 12 flights by the end of October, the flight frequency between the two countries remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The association’s statement indicates the lag in the US’s global competitiveness. International visitors spent approximately US$17.4 billion in the US in June, while Americans traveling abroad spent US$17 billion.
That month’s travel trade surplus of US$400 million is significantly lower than the US$86 billion surplus the US recorded in 2015, emphasizing the importance of reducing visa wait times and other travel barriers.