 "'We have zero tolerance...': US cancels 2000 visa appointments by 'bots' in India")
The US Embassy in India said on Wednesday that it had cancelled over 2,000 visa applications due to fraud-related activities. The embassy found major violations in the appointment system by bad actors or “bots” and suspended their accounts.
The embassy reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for agents and fixers involved in such practices.
“Consular Team India is cancelling about 2,000 visa appointments made by bots. We have zero tolerance for agents and fixers that violate our scheduling policies,” the US Embassy in India said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) while sharing an important notice.
The notice further read: “Consular Team India identified bad actors who made about 2,000 visa appointments that violated our scheduling policies. Effective immediately, we are cancelling these appointments and suspending the associated accounts’ scheduling privileges.”
“We tried to get a visa interview date on our own for our child, who had to join an American university last autumn, but nothing was available within the required timeframe. We paid an agent ₹30,000 and got the same in time,” an applicant told The Times of India on condition of anonymity.
According to a report from The Times of India, the wait time for a B1/B2 visa is over six months, but paying ₹30,000-35,000 can get one within a month.
Impact Shorts
View AllSources told The Times of India that agents use bots to block appointment slots, making early dates unavailable for regular applicants. In 2023, when wait times neared 999 days, the US opened appointments for Indians in Frankfurt and Bangkok.
Long US visa delays
India had raised concerns about long visa delays with the US 2-3 years ago, prompting steps to reduce wait times. With the US now cracking down on bots, the situation may improve further.
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