US visa wait times for Australians hit 300 days

A combination of Australian state border restrictions, COVID-related staffing issues and lockdowns, plus the temporary closure of one of three US Consulates in Australia has created a huge bottleneck of US visa application appointment requests. The delays have sparked a backlash from Australians trying to secure US work, study and immigrant visas.

According to the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website, the estimated waiting time for a US visitor visa appointment currently stands at 300 days for Melbourne and 110 days for Perth. With the Sydney US Consulate closed due to relocation, Melbourne is the only facility offering full services and in-person appointments for visa applicants. 

This has resulted in a growing waiting list, appointment delays and massive US visa processing backlogs. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Canberra does not offer in-person interviews for visas.

Sydney US Consulate relocation delays

The unforeseen delays to the relocation of the US Consulate facility in Sydney in 2021 have been blamed for the backlog. The operation to relocate the Consulate was paused in July last year. 

Visa services in Sydney have remained restricted to emergencies for US citizens only since the former Consulate building was vacated in September 2021. Operations at the new facility have yet to be resumed. 

A spokesperson for the US Consulate in Sydney was unable to disclose a resettlement date for the new Sydney facility, but apologized for the delays and limited services as a result of the delays.

The spokesperson said: “We recognise and apologise for how disruptive this is for those with plans to travel to the United States from Australia. Resuming normal services to the public is our top priority and we are working hard to make that happen as fast as possible.”

“Consulates General Melbourne and Perth are providing routine US citizen and non-immigrant visa services, and extra resources have been provided at those posts to assist with increased demand.”

Sydney Consulate to resume services ‘soon’

The Sydney Consulate is set to resume full services in the ‘coming months’, according to officials, and first on the agenda will be tackling backlogs for services for US citizens, students and workers.

In the meantime, United States officials have recently given consular officers the discretionary power to waive in-person interviews for certain US visas. Australians who meet the criteria can qualify for a mail-in service to have their visa approved by post.

The mail-in service would help ease the enormous backlogs currently affecting US Embassies and Consulates around the world. To be eligible, applicants must have previously held any category of US visa and have never been denied a US visa, among other criteria.

Workpermit.com can help with US employment-based visas

If you would like to apply for a US work visa – including L1 visas, E2 visas, O1 visas and H1B visas - Workpermit.com can help. 

Workpermit.com is a specialist visa services firm with over thirty years of experience dealing with visa applications. We can help with a wide range of visa applications to your country of choice. Contact us for further details. You can also telephone 0344 991 9222.