The US immigration system has always moved slowly, but as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic linger, its pace has slowed to a crawl. Nonimmigrant visa applicants face significant bottlenecks, detours, and roadblocks in the process.
US embassies abroad are experiencing staff shortages due to the pandemic, and the associated consequences for visa applicants and sponsors are dire. Employers are feeling the impact of delays across the board.
Due to massive backlogs, many applicants are waiting abroad for months for an appointment that, prior to the pandemic, would have been scheduled within days or weeks depending upon the jurisdiction.
Wait times for nonimmigrant visa appointments currently range from two days in Hong Kong to 387 days in Mumbai. As a result, foreign workers are sometimes separated from family members and unable to start employment in the US for extended periods of time.
These delays have a substantial business impact as well, given that foreign national employees must renew their visas outside the US.
Employers might contend with employees who are stuck abroad for extended periods of time. They also have to navigate financial...
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