US Visa Delays Stretch Into 2027 as New Immigration Rules Take Effect

US visa applicants in 2026 are facing severe delays, with interview appointments in some categories unavailable until 2027 as a series of policy changes continues to strain the immigration system.

Immigration lawyers say the backlog has developed through several overlapping procedural changes introduced within a short period. Attorneys at Houston-based Reddy Neumann Brown PC described the situation as unprecedented, saying that the delays are the result of multiple policies reducing appointment availability across US consulates.

The first major change came in February 2025, when the US State Department reduced eligibility for the interview waiver programme, commonly known as the “dropbox” system, from 48 months to 12 months. The revision forced many long-term visa holders, particularly H-1B workers, to attend in-person interviews again.

Further restrictions followed in September 2025, when in-person interviews became mandatory for most nonimmigrant visa categories, including H-1B, L-1, F-1, O-1, TN and J-1 visas. Exemptions previously available to children and elderly applicants were removed. Only limited groups, such as diplomats and certain agricultural workers, remained eligible for waivers.

Days later, the Department introduced another rule limiting applicants to scheduling visa interviews only in their country of citizenship or residence. The change ended the practice of “third-country national” processing, which had allowed many Indian professionals to obtain faster appointments in countries such as Canada and Mexico. Similar restrictions were later extended to immigrant visa applicants in November 2025.

Expanded social media screening measures introduced in mid-2025 added further pressure to consular operations. Initially applied to student and exchange visa categories, the checks were expanded to H-1B and H-4 applicants by December. Consulates in India subsequently reported a significant reduction in daily interview capacity, with H-category visa appointments unavailable until 2027.

Another major development came in May 2026, when US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199. The guidance redefined adjustment of status, which has traditionally allowed eligible applicants already in the United States to complete immigration processing domestically, as an option limited to “extraordinary circumstances”. 

Consular processing abroad was designated as the standard route, although the memorandum did not clearly define what qualifies as extraordinary circumstances.

Immigration lawyers warn that the latest policy could direct thousands of additional applicants into an already overstretched consular system. While expedited appointments remain available in some cases, approvals have become increasingly difficult as demand continues to rise.

The combined effect of the policy changes has created one of the most difficult visa processing environments in recent years. Immigration practitioners say that without further adjustments, the delays could continue to affect international workers, students, families and employers dependent on the US immigration system.