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Chennai · India

Visa issuances and wait times at the U.S. post in Chennai

Monthly tables Mar 2017 to Sep 2025 · 13th of 217 posts by nonimmigrant issuances in Sep 2025 · wait times read 1 Jul 2026

The reports below contain preliminary data which are subject to change. Beginning with FY 2020, individual monthly issuance reports should not be aggregated, as this will not provide an accurate issuance total for the fiscal year to date. Instead, refer to our annual Report of the Visa Office for final full Fiscal Year statistics. On wait times the Department says: "New appointments are added regularly, so you may get an appointment sooner" and "The average wait times we report do not guarantee a visa applicant will get an appointment within a specific time."

The U.S. embassy or consulate in Chennai, India, issued 17,788 nonimmigrant visas in September 2025, the most recent month in the State Department's monthly tables, close to September 2024 (19,523, -9%).

The largest classes that month were B1/B2 (temporary visitor for business and pleasure) with 9,951, 55.9% of the post's issuances, H1B (temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse) with 2,785, 15.7% of the post's issuances and H4 (spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3) with 2,260, 12.7% of the post's issuances. Among the 211 posts that issued B1/B2 visas in September 2025, Chennai ranks 16th by count; for F1 student visas it ranks 12th of 184.

The immigrant visa table for September 2025 lists no issuances for this post; many posts handle only nonimmigrant applications.

The Department publishes annual totals separately, in its Report of the Visa Office; this site does not add monthly reports together, so the month-by-month table below is read one month at a time.

The Department's Global Visa Wait Times table read on 1 Jul 2026 listed no appointment estimate for this post.

Appointment wait times

Visitor B1/B2Not listednext available appointment
Student F, M, JNot listednext available appointment
Worker H, L, O, P, QNot listednext available appointment

under 2 months2 to 6 monthsover 6 monthsnot listedRead from the Department's table 1 Jul 2026.

B1/B2 applicants interviewed in the previous month had waited an average of 5.5 months from fee payment to interview, per the Department's table; it publishes this average only where the next appointment is more than three months away.

17,788nonimmigrant visas, Sep 2025-9% vs Sep 2024 (19,523)
15,650nonimmigrant visas, Aug 2025+14% month on month
0immigrant visas, Sep 20250 in Sep 2024
2.16%share of worldwide nonimmigrant issuances, Sep 2025median post: 909 that month

The Department publishes annual totals separately, in its Report of the Visa Office; monthly reports are not summed on this site.

Monthly issuances by broad class, last 36 months

018,72637,452VisitorsStudents and exchange visitorsTemporary workersDiplomatic, official and international organisationTransit and crewOther nonimmigrant classesOct 2022Apr 2023Oct 2023Apr 2024Oct 2024Apr 2025Oct 2022: 18,903 (Visitors 8,604, Students and exchange visitors 247, Temporary workers 9,813, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 8, Transit and crew 229, Other nonimmigrant classes 2)Nov 2022: 22,981 (Visitors 6,793, Students and exchange visitors 2,190, Temporary workers 13,737, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12, Transit and crew 248, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)Dec 2022: 23,908 (Visitors 7,663, Students and exchange visitors 3,430, Temporary workers 12,484, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14, Transit and crew 317, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jan 2023: 26,373 (Visitors 12,884, Students and exchange visitors 523, Temporary workers 12,686, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 31, Transit and crew 246, Other nonimmigrant classes 3)Feb 2023: 28,030 (Visitors 14,856, Students and exchange visitors 215, Temporary workers 12,674, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 29, Transit and crew 256, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Mar 2023: 36,915 (Visitors 16,416, Students and exchange visitors 448, Temporary workers 19,321, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 42, Transit and crew 680, Other nonimmigrant classes 8)Apr 2023: 20,629 (Visitors 8,800, Students and exchange visitors 1,738, Temporary workers 9,500, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 113, Transit and crew 478, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)May 2023: 30,937 (Visitors 15,197, Students and exchange visitors 824, Temporary workers 14,045, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 38, Transit and crew 826, Other nonimmigrant classes 7)Jun 2023: 31,405 (Visitors 10,230, Students and exchange visitors 8,456, Temporary workers 12,001, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 29, Transit and crew 689, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jul 2023: 25,702 (Visitors 9,347, Students and exchange visitors 5,906, Temporary workers 10,161, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16, Transit and crew 262, Other nonimmigrant classes 10)Aug 2023: 23,753 (Visitors 12,086, Students and exchange visitors 1,681, Temporary workers 9,253, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 27, Transit and crew 703, Other nonimmigrant classes 3)Sep 2023: 25,959 (Visitors 16,785, Students and exchange visitors 237, Temporary workers 8,076, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 24, Transit and crew 833, Other nonimmigrant classes 4)Oct 2023: 27,162 (Visitors 16,924, Students and exchange visitors 351, Temporary workers 9,057, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 37, Transit and crew 790, Other nonimmigrant classes 3)Nov 2023: 32,144 (Visitors 15,706, Students and exchange visitors 1,822, Temporary workers 13,793, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 25, Transit and crew 796, Other nonimmigrant classes 2)Dec 2023: 16,632 (Visitors 4,414, Students and exchange visitors 3,833, Temporary workers 8,050, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 8, Transit and crew 327, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jan 2024: 24,604 (Visitors 9,053, Students and exchange visitors 1,335, Temporary workers 12,869, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15, Transit and crew 1,331, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)Feb 2024: 31,195 (Visitors 8,478, Students and exchange visitors 914, Temporary workers 19,863, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 45, Transit and crew 1,895, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Mar 2024: 37,452 (Visitors 9,988, Students and exchange visitors 883, Temporary workers 23,272, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 23, Transit and crew 3,286, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Apr 2024: 33,924 (Visitors 8,796, Students and exchange visitors 1,009, Temporary workers 20,783, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 47, Transit and crew 3,288, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)May 2024: 33,643 (Visitors 9,083, Students and exchange visitors 1,901, Temporary workers 20,567, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 28, Transit and crew 2,064, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jun 2024: 24,991 (Visitors 2,645, Students and exchange visitors 4,193, Temporary workers 16,420, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 18, Transit and crew 1,715, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jul 2024: 26,929 (Visitors 2,810, Students and exchange visitors 4,091, Temporary workers 17,138, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 20, Transit and crew 2,870, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Aug 2024: 17,993 (Visitors 2,236, Students and exchange visitors 1,177, Temporary workers 11,384, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 30, Transit and crew 3,163, Other nonimmigrant classes 3)Sep 2024: 19,523 (Visitors 4,511, Students and exchange visitors 455, Temporary workers 12,127, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11, Transit and crew 2,419, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Oct 2024: 21,622 (Visitors 4,688, Students and exchange visitors 704, Temporary workers 15,274, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 20, Transit and crew 936, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Nov 2024: 19,377 (Visitors 4,175, Students and exchange visitors 1,097, Temporary workers 13,966, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12, Transit and crew 127, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Dec 2024: 28,375 (Visitors 192, Students and exchange visitors 2,262, Temporary workers 25,459, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 30, Transit and crew 432, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Jan 2025: 23,985 (Visitors 2,133, Students and exchange visitors 1,151, Temporary workers 20,308, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 34, Transit and crew 359, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Feb 2025: 22,255 (Visitors 3,326, Students and exchange visitors 755, Temporary workers 17,792, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 20, Transit and crew 361, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)Mar 2025: 19,446 (Visitors 3,785, Students and exchange visitors 631, Temporary workers 14,606, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 24, Transit and crew 400, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Apr 2025: 18,788 (Visitors 2,961, Students and exchange visitors 915, Temporary workers 14,517, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 29, Transit and crew 366, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)May 2025: 19,529 (Visitors 3,079, Students and exchange visitors 1,798, Temporary workers 14,203, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 20, Transit and crew 428, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)Jun 2025: 25,067 (Visitors 2,154, Students and exchange visitors 2,126, Temporary workers 20,359, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11, Transit and crew 416, Other nonimmigrant classes 1)Jul 2025: 25,795 (Visitors 2,708, Students and exchange visitors 453, Temporary workers 22,165, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 6, Transit and crew 463, Other nonimmigrant classes 0)Aug 2025: 15,650 (Visitors 6,254, Students and exchange visitors 646, Temporary workers 8,366, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14, Transit and crew 366, Other nonimmigrant classes 4)Sep 2025: 17,788 (Visitors 9,969, Students and exchange visitors 333, Temporary workers 7,072, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16, Transit and crew 392, Other nonimmigrant classes 6)
Nonimmigrant visas issued at Chennai by month, stacked by broad class group.

VisitorsStudents and exchange visitorsTemporary workersDiplomatic, official and international organisationTransit and crewOther nonimmigrant classes

Groups follow the Department's visa symbols: visitors (B), students and exchange visitors (F, M, J), temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, E, R, TN, I), diplomatic and official (A, G, NATO), transit and crew (C, D), other. Hover a month for its counts. Each bar is one monthly report.

Compared with India and the world, September 2025

Sep 2025ChennaiAll 5 posts in IndiaAll posts
Nonimmigrant visas issued17,78874,661823,557
Change on Sep 2024-9%—-11%
Immigrant visas issued01,70145,966
Visitors share56%—82.5%
Students and exchange visitors share1.9%—2.9%
Temporary workers share39.8%—9.4%
Diplomatic, official and international organisation share0.1%—2.1%
Transit and crew share2.2%—2.9%
Other nonimmigrant classes share0%—0.2%
B1/B2 next appointmentNot listed—median 1 month
F, M, J next appointmentNot listed—median under ½ month

All figures are from the September 2025 tables. The country column adds the posts located in India (Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai) within that one month; it is not the count for nationals of India, which is on the India nationality page.

Visa classes issued, September 2025

ClassDescription (State Department)IssuedShareRank among posts
B1/B2Temporary visitor for business and pleasure9,95155.9%16 of 211
H1BTemporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse2,78515.7%2 of 163
H4Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-32,26012.7%2 of 137
L2Spouse or child of intracompany transferee9505.3%1 of 133
L1Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation)9165.1%1 of 144
C1/DCombined transit and crewmember visa3872.2%9 of 171
F1Student in an academic or language training program1530.9%12 of 184
J1Exchange visitor990.6%25 of 194
J2Spouse or child of exchange visitor570.3%5 of 124
P3Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program540.3%6 of 69
O1Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics350.2%8 of 132
O3Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2240.1%4 of 84
F2Spouse or child of F1220.1%11 of 104
R1Alien in a religious occupation210.1%1 of 96
B1Temporary visitor for business180.1%30 of 128
G4International organization officer or employee, and immediate family90.1%22 of 137
A2Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family70%110 of 169
E3DSpouse or child of Australian specialty occupation professional70%5 of 23
C4/D3Nonimmigrant visa class C4/D3 (no description in the Department's symbol list)60%5 of 19
O2Person accompanying and assisting in the artistic or athletic performance by O-160%39 of 83
C1Alien in transit50%22 of 87
E3Australian specialty occupation professional50%6 of 28
H3Trainee40%4 of 17
IRepresentative of foreign information media, spouse and children20%80 of 119
M1Vocational student and other nonacademic student20%48 of 91
CW1Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands transitional worker10%6 of 6
H2BTemporary worker performing other services10%76 of 88
TDSpouse or child of TN10%18 of 23

Ranks are among posts in the same month's table. Earlier months are linked from the month-by-month table below.

Seasonality

Jan95
Feb105
Mar138
Apr80
May101
Jun99
Jul104
Aug89
Sep88
Oct93
Nov95
Dec109
Which months are busiest at Chennai. Index over 7 complete calendar years; 100 is an average month, darker is busier.

Wait-time history

0490980202220232024202520264 Nov 2022: B1/B2 900 days; F/M/J 50; H/L/O/P/Q 3461 Dec 2022: B1/B2 980 days; F/M/J 37; H/L/O/P/Q 36517 Jan 2023: B1/B2 505 days; F/M/J 95; H/L/O/P/Q 2321 Feb 2023: B1/B2 617 days; F/M/J 77; H/L/O/P/Q 2276 Mar 2023: B1/B2 679 days; F/M/J 49; H/L/O/P/Q 7317 Apr 2023: B1/B2 308 days; F/M/J 52; H/L/O/P/Q 1639 Jun 2023: B1/B2 350 days; F/M/J 42; H/L/O/P/Q 14131 Jul 2023: B1/B2 408 days; F/M/J 28; H/L/O/P/Q 181 Aug 2023: B1/B2 408 days; F/M/J 28; H/L/O/P/Q 1820 Sep 2023: B1/B2 486 days; F/M/J 3; H/L/O/P/Q 312 Oct 2023: B1/B2 525 days; F/M/J 23; H/L/O/P/Q 25 Nov 2023: B1/B2 341 days; F/M/J 6; H/L/O/P/Q 8117 Dec 2023: B1/B2 444 days; F/M/J 65; H/L/O/P/Q 946 Jan 2024: B1/B2 260 days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q 601 Feb 2024: B1/B2 458 days; F/M/J 417; H/L/O/P/Q 76 Mar 2024: B1/B2 479 days; F/M/J 382; H/L/O/P/Q 289 Apr 2024: B1/B2 498 days; F/M/J 347; H/L/O/P/Q 358 May 2024: B1/B2 512 days; F/M/J 15; H/L/O/P/Q 7017 Jun 2024: B1/B2 527 days; F/M/J 284; H/L/O/P/Q 916 Jul 2024: B1/B2 518 days; F/M/J 35; H/L/O/P/Q 1447 Aug 2024: B1/B2 477 days; F/M/J 19; H/L/O/P/Q 15414 Sep 2024: B1/B2 416 days; F/M/J 70; H/L/O/P/Q 1202 Oct 2024: B1/B2 389 days; F/M/J 56; H/L/O/P/Q 12812 Nov 2024: B1/B2 486 days; F/M/J 45; H/L/O/P/Q 1131 Dec 2024: B1/B2 511 days; F/M/J 28; H/L/O/P/Q 706 Jan 2025: B1/B2 425 days; F/M/J 93; H/L/O/P/Q 507 Feb 2025: B1/B2 436 days; F/M/J 85; H/L/O/P/Q 285 Mar 2025: B1/B2 436 days; F/M/J 85; H/L/O/P/Q 2816 Apr 2025: B1/B2 407 days; F/M/J 35; H/L/O/P/Q 501 May 2025: B1/B2 405 days; F/M/J 45; H/L/O/P/Q 604 Jun 2025: B1/B2 420 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 602 Jul 2025: B1/B2 420 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 603 Aug 2025: B1/B2 150 days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q 07 Sep 2025: B1/B2 270 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 603 Oct 2025: B1/B2 90 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 301 Nov 2025: B1/B2 150 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 302 Dec 2025: B1/B2 90 days; F/M/J 60; H/L/O/P/Q 306 Jan 2026: B1/B2 — days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q —8 Feb 2026: B1/B2 45 days; F/M/J 30; H/L/O/P/Q 907 Mar 2026: B1/B2 30 days; F/M/J 30; H/L/O/P/Q 604 Apr 2026: B1/B2 90 days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q —14 May 2026: B1/B2 120 days; F/M/J 30; H/L/O/P/Q 1057 Jun 2026: B1/B2 — days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q —1 Jul 2026: B1/B2 — days; F/M/J —; H/L/O/P/Q —

Visitor B1/B2Student F, M, JWorker H, L, O, P, Q

Next available appointment at Chennai over time. Days to the next available appointment as listed on each reading date (44 readings, 4 Nov 2022 to 1 Jul 2026). From 1 May 2025 the Department publishes the estimate in half-month steps; those are shown as 30 days per month.

Month by month

MonthNonimmigrantImmigrantvs same month prior year
Sep 202517,7880-9%
Aug 202515,6500-13%
Jul 202525,7950-4%
Jun 202525,06700%
May 202519,5290-42%
Apr 202518,7880-45%
Mar 202519,4460-48%
Feb 202522,2550-29%
Jan 202523,9850-3%
Dec 202428,3750+71%
Nov 202419,3770-40%
Oct 202421,6220-20%
Sep 202419,5230-25%
Aug 202417,9930-24%
Jul 202426,9290+5%
Jun 202424,9910-20%
May 202433,6430+9%
Apr 202433,9240+64%
Mar 202437,4520+1%
Feb 202431,1950+11%
Jan 202424,6040-7%
Dec 202316,6320-30%
Nov 202332,1440+40%
Oct 202327,1620+44%

One row per monthly report; the rows are not added together. Each month links to the post's class breakdown for that month. Global totals for any month: September 2025.

ChennaiHyderabadKolkataMumbaiNew Delhi
Location of the U.S. post in Chennai.This post Other posts in the country Outlines: Natural Earth.

Other U.S. posts in India

Questions and answers

How many visas did the U.S. post in Chennai issue last month?

17,788 nonimmigrant visas in September 2025, the latest month in the State Department's monthly issuance tables. In September 2024 the post issued 19,523 nonimmigrant visas.

What is the wait for a visitor visa interview in Chennai?

The Department's table read on 1 Jul 2026 listed no B1/B2 estimate for Chennai.

What is the wait for a student visa interview in Chennai?

No F, M, J estimate was listed for Chennai in the table read on 1 Jul 2026.

Which visa classes does Chennai issue most?

In September 2025: B1/B2 (9,951, 55.9%), H1B (2,785, 15.7%), H4 (2,260, 12.7%), L2 (950, 5.3%) and L1 (916, 5.1%). 28 nonimmigrant classes appear in the post's table for the month.

Is visa volume at Chennai rising or falling?

September 2025: 17,788 nonimmigrant visas, close to September 2024 (19,523, -9%). The month-by-month series on this page shows the path one month at a time; the Department notes that monthly reports are preliminary and subject to change and should not be added together.

How many visas does Chennai issue in a year?

The Department publishes annual totals separately, in its Report of the Visa Office, and says its monthly reports should not be aggregated, so this site shows no yearly figure for a post. The annual tables by nationality are on the nationality pages.

What does the issuance count for Chennai not tell you?

It is the number of visas issued, not the number of applications received or interviews held, and it says nothing about the outcome of any individual application. The Department publishes refusal rates only for B visas by nationality, not by post.

Where does this data come from?

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs publishes monthly nonimmigrant and immigrant visa issuance tables by post and visa class, and a Global Visa Wait Times table. Issuances on this page run March 2017 to September 2025; wait times are read from the Department's table and kept as dated snapshots (44 readings for this post).

Provenance

Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances by Post and Visa Class and Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances by Post and Visa Class (latest NIV table, latest IV table), public domain; Global Visa Wait Times table, read on the dates shown. Issuance data through 30 Sep 2025; site generated 30 Sep 2026. Errors in processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections.