According to data from the US Consulate in Brazil, the wait to obtain an interview for an American tourist visa can reach 321 days in São Paulo, a delay of almost 11 months. The queue is also long in other cities: in Rio de Janeiro it can reach 277 days, in Porto Alegre 269, in Recife 179 and in Brasília 238.
The high demand may be related to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the immigration lawyer and founding partner of AG Immigration – an immigration consultancy and law firm – Felipe Alexandre, the current requests are added to those pending due to the stoppages of the pandemic. Visas in the process of issuance currently had already been requested and were not completed due to the closing of the consulates and the Embassy, which was only dealing with emergency requests.
The wait is shorter for those looking to study in the US. The deadline for conducting the interview in such cases is 24 days.
The Embassy recommends that those who wish to visit the country plan on taking into account the wait for issuing the document, which is mandatory for entry into the United States. For those who wish to renew their visa, the wait is shorter.
Those who already have an appointment can change the date at no cost – so it’s worth checking the US Embassy website in case a closer date opens.
The tourist visa is the most requested in the country, and it gives access to the American territory for a limited period and only for non-profit activities. It does not allow the traveler to work or live in the United States.
Source: CNN Brasil
