Ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India in the coming days, the US Consulate General in Kolkata has launched a new pilot program to strengthen ties between New Delhi and Washington, DC. The initiative announced via the official ‘USAndKolkata’ channels across social media platforms paves the way for major relief for Indians seeking faster US visitor visa appointments amid surging demand for B1/B2 (Business/Tourist) benefits.

The new B1/B2 visa pilot program aligns with the Donald Trump administration’s “America First” approach, as it will put “American economic priorities first.” As a result, “priority” visa appointment scheduling slots linked to the initiative will prioritise a “business traveller or genuine tourist,” the official US Consulate General in Kolkata highlighted in the announcement.

US Consulate Kolkata issues new B1/B2 visa update

“America First in Prosperity!” began the consulate’s official statement on X and Instagram. “The new B1/B2 pilot at Consulate Kolkata puts American economic priorities first—and that means prioritising YOU if you’re a business traveller or genuine tourist. Shorter wait times for those who strengthen US-India ties.”

Last updated on May 18, the US State Department’s ‘Global Visa Wait Times’ schedule listed 8 months as the estimated wait time until the “next available appointment” for US visitor visas in the Indian capital, New Delhi. On the other hand, the “average wait time” metric (which indicates the time between fee payment and the interview date) for New Delhi showed 5.5 months.

Meanwhile, Kolkata and Mumbai faced wait periods of 7 and 7.5 months, respectively, until the “next available appointment,” and “average wait time” periods of 7.5 months and 4.5 months, respectively. On the other hand, an “average wait time” of 5.5 months was mentioned for Chennai.

New US visa pilot program’s eligibility criteria

As mentioned above, the new pilot program intends to speed up the visa process for verified business travellers, including entrepreneurs, investors, trade representatives and other such professionals.

In addition to boosting economic ties with India, the new US visa priority scheduling also seeks to support family reunification. Earlier this month, the Kolkata consulate also announced slots for fast-track visa appointments to promote the “America First” strategy in “Family Values.”

Consequently, parents in India (50 years or above), who are hoping to visit children residing legally in the US, can now also benefit from “priority” appointment slots at the US Consulate in Kolkata. “We’re helping with shorter wait times for qualified travellers with established ties and verified purposes,” officials said in early May 2026.

Less than a week ago, a third ‘US Visa B1/B2 Update’ about putting “America First in Supporting Legitimate Travel” additionally underscored that the consulate’s pilot program “prioritises applicants with established ties, good travel records, and verified purposes.”

Officials stated further, “If you’re a traveller with a history of international travel and strong connections, this tool is designed for you.”

The May 21 update was issued merely hours after the US Embassy in India posted a forward-looking tweet, signalling “A New Chapter in the US-India Relationship” while awaiting the arrival of US State Secretary Marco Rubio for his first visit to India. According to official US statements released so far, the top Trump admin aide will visit Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi from May 23 to 26, 2026, following his high-level trip to Helsingborg, Sweden.

During his time in India, the US Secretary of State will hold meetings with senior Indian officials to discuss energy security, trade and defence cooperation. His state visit comes at a time when the United States has already kicked off celebrations tied to the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. The US Embassy in India has since also rolled out a line of about 100 “Happy Birthday America!” auto-rickshaws featuring President Trump’s portrait and other US insignia.

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