The US Embassy in Kathmandu has announced that starting September 4, 2024, they will offer new student visa appointment slots on a designated day each month. This initiative, announced via the Embassy’s Facebook page, is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the typically long wait times for US visa appointments.
While the Embassy has occasionally added extra appointment slots in the past, this is the first time they will do so on a regular monthly basis. In response to high demand, the Embassy has also started conducting visa interviews on Sundays, which are usually non-working days.
Currently, securing an appointment for visitor or student visas at the US Embassy in Kathmandu can take up to 10 months. To help students avoid delays in starting their studies, the Embassy is implementing this strategy to shorten the wait times.
Students planning to begin their studies in the US in 2025 will benefit from these additional appointment slots starting in September.
There has been a significant rise in the number of Nepali applicants for US student visas, resulting in a historic high in visa issuance. In July, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs reported a record-breaking number of Nepali students receiving US student visas, with 1,788 students and 63 dependents granted visas.
This brings the total number of Nepali students who have received US student visas in the first 10 months of this fiscal year to 10,988, following a record set in June when 1,700 students and 76 dependents were issued visas.