us tourist visa from canada interview dates

B.C. residents wait over 2 years for U.S. visitor visa interview

Requests for u.s. visitor visas have swamped vancouver's consulate, extending the interview wait to 832 days.

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Like on many weekday mornings, a long line of people of all ages quickly forms outside the U.S. Consulate General in downtown Vancouver on Friday.

After several years of travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of applications for U.S. visitor visas has more than bounced back — swamping the consulate with a record number of requests.

It now takes more than two years — 832 days, to be precise — for non-Canadian citizens just to get a visitor visa interview at the country's Vancouver consulate, the U.S. State Department estimates, while wait times are far shorter for those looking to work or study in the U.S.

The situation is similar across Canada, but only Calgary has a longer wait time than Vancouver, with Albertans waiting 892 days, nearly 2.5 years, for an interview.

When Deepak Sharma applied for such a visitor visa eight years ago, the story was very different.

"It was a lot quicker, it was like you can get the appointment within a few days — three to five days," he told CBC News. 

Now, he's on a quest to secure a waitlist spot for his friend, and says such spots are so rare he's seen them advertised for sale online.

"There are some people who are charging money," he said, "and then giving people earlier appointments."

When he showed his friend how to request an interview, the U.S. website informed him the soonest was in July 2026. 

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Visas are required for most permanent residents, international students or temporary workers living in B.C., from all but a handful of countries, who wish to travel across the border into the U.S. One in nine residents in the province is not a Canadian citizen. 

U.S. State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Power said the delays are caused by a "very high demand" to enter the U.S. worldwide. But she warned applicants against paying what she called "scammers" to save a place in line.

"There is no legitimate sale of appointments," Power told CBC News. "It may be that by coincidence, they are able to get an earlier appointment, but those scammers have no impact on the appointment system."

A Vancouver visa consultant called the delays "frustrating" for applicants, and said it is unsurprising a market has emerged to capitalize on the frustrations.

"They're waiting you know two years just to to get into the United States," said visa consultant Chris Brown. "And often that could mean that your windows of time is over; maybe they don't need to go to the United States anymore."

Last year, according to the U.S. State Department, the Vancouver Consulate General issued more than 66,000 visitor visas — an average of roughly 5,500 every month. That's a 54 per cent increase from the year before, and 58 per cent above levels five years ago, before the pandemic.

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"Here in Canada we have interviewed more visa applicants in 2023 than at any other time in the mission's history," Power said.

The consulate said it does allow people to apply for an expedited visa interview appointment, but it's only available in emergencies, such as funerals or medical emergencies.

For Brown, he only expects demand for visas to grow — and the required screening process to reflect the extra work.

"If you don't meet the definition of a tourist, then nine times out of 10 it's going to be denied, unless you can prove that you are legitimately here to to to visit," he said. "The systems are backlogged … in particular, like a tourist visa.

"If you're applying for a study or a work permit, then it's usually prioritized because there would be a more of an economic benefit to that country."

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Sharma said as he helped his friend navigate the booking system, they realized that by repeatedly refreshing the website he could get his appointment moved earlier. But not by much.

"He is right now in August 2025," Sharma said. "So he saved himself a year."

Corrections

• A previous version of this story described Elizabeth Power as a spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate in Vancouver. In fact, she is a spokesperson with the U.S. State Department, which oversees all consulates in Canada. Feb 24, 2024 3:46 PM PT

With files from Sohrab Sandhu and David P. Ball

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How to apply for or renew a U.S. tourist visa

If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa.

Find out if you need a visa to visit the U.S.

Check if your country participates in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . If it does, you can get a waiver and will not need a visa. If you do not see your country listed, you will need a visitor visa.

Visitor (tourist) visas and other travel documents for entering the U.S.

The visitor visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa for people who wish to temporarily enter the U.S. There are two categories:

• B-1 for business travel
• B-2 for tourism and medical treatment

Learn about B-1 and B-2 visas , including:

• Reasons you would need each type of visitor visa
• How to apply
• What documents you will need
• Application fees
• How to prepare for your interview at your U.S. embassy or consulate

Along with your visa, you must bring a passport issued by your country of citizenship. When you arrive at your port of entry into the U.S., officials will issue you a Form I-94, which electronically records your arrival and departure dates. Learn more about Form I-94.

How to renew a visitor visa

The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State.

Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information.

Understand expiration dates for visas and I-94 forms

• The date you must depart the U.S. will be shown on your Form I-94. This date is determined by the Customs and Border Protection officer when you arrive at the port-of-entry into the U.S. 
• Only diplomatic visa holders and their dependents can renew their visas while they are in the U.S.

LAST UPDATED: May 31, 2024

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Do you want US Visa Appointment ‘earliest’ date?

• Thread starter Captain911
• Start date Mar 20, 2023

Hero Member

Hello all. We just applied US visa B1/B2 yesterday and we got available appointment November 2024. I tried to reschedule last 1 hour and found earlier one which is 19 May2023 if you want to find earliest appointment, you should keep trying to reschedule every 10 minutes. Good luck  

Star Member

Captain911 said: Hello all. We just applied US visa B1/B2 yesterday and we got available appointment November 2024. I tried to reschedule last 1 hour and found earlier one which is 19 May2023 if you want to find earliest appointment, you should keep trying to reschedule every 10 minutes. Good luck Click to expand...

Askhar131 said: Was this a Toronto appointment? Click to expand...

Ranga0585 said: I have for June 11th in Vancouver but I something more quickly. it says no appointment. can I still keep trying every ten mins Click to expand...

Full Member

Hello all...I just got my travel document and I wanted to apply US visa.Can anyone help me with this?  

Kaku04 said: Hello all...I just got my travel document and I wanted to apply US visa.Can anyone help me with this? Click to expand...

Canadian_rainbow

nilufer said: how long did you wait for got an interview? it looks like there is no availability till 2025. Click to expand...

Canadian_rainbow said: Hi! Just fill the form and go to the us consulate Canada website. Pay visa fee and register for the interview. İt's really easy. But make sure about your travel dates and place to stay. They are asking on the form. I will get my passport tomorrow. Let's see for how long they issued my visa. Click to expand...

Captain911 said: Probably it will be 10 years visa as always. Click to expand...

Canadian_rainbow said: Yes 10 years Click to expand...

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