Application for B1 Visa in India for a person living outside India

[ashishdewan]

Dear All,

I am a consultant in a research institute in Netherlands. I have to attend a conference in US (Maryland) on 1st October, 2015. I want to apply for a Business (B1) Visa.

I checked the US VISAS site for the average appointment time and processing time for the visa application. The site I am talking about it http://travel.state.gov/contenthttps...it-times.html/

Additionally, I would like to mention that I am coming to India for my vacations on 15th August, 2015 and will be there till 06th September, 2015.

When looking at the above mentioned site, talking to some of my friends and having communication with the US consulate in Netherlands and India, I found three possible options. I want to know the best possible solution out of the below listed options:

1. Application of US Visa from Amsterdam, Netherlands: Pros- I stay here in Netherlands, so the verification can be fast. Cons: I am not here in Netherlands for the coming period, so I have to apply for VISA when I come back from India. Second, the average processing time and appointment time is 25 days each in Amsterdam. This makes it really tight with me coming back from India on 7th September.

2. Application of US Visa from New Delhi, India: Pros: My home town in India. I am coming to India for the coming period. The processing time, it says and upon call is 3 days besides the waiting time for the appointment of 14 days. Cons: The processing time may take more time than it mentions, as for the verification, they will have to inquire here in Netherlands about my permanent job, financial and sponsorship details. In that case, if the processing takes more time than my date of return (7th September), I will not be able to return back to Netherlands (without the passport).

3. Application of US Visa from Brussels, Belgium: Another possible option, as the processing time is substantially less. The option holds, if I take an appointment date around 8-9th September; i.e. immediately coming back from India. In that case, I will have at least 11 processing days (the one mentioned on the website for Brussels).

I request you all to please consider the three options and suggest me the best possible option to go for based on your experience and procedures.

Thanks & Regards,

Ashish

[Mogu]

I would get the Netherlands appointment and do it in Netherlands. If you get an appointment for immediately after you get back, that is a lot of time for the visa to be processed.

India is fairly streamlined these days as well, so you could still make it but need to have taken the appointment in advance (which means someone in India needs to deposit fees for you). The downside is that it might be harder to get a visa from India in comparison to Netherlands. So, it's not a question of time but rather the ease of qualifying. I've gotten US visas from various countries I have lived in - there certainly is a different yardstick applied depending on the country you are applying from.