United StatesState Department would report and publish visa processing delays
The State Department would report on visa delays, publish monthly wait-time data, and plan added staffing and other ways to shorten delays.
What it does
On its public website, the State Department would publish monthly the previous average and current estimated time from a visa interview to a decision, with reasons.
Within 90 days after enactment, the State Department would report to Congress on embassy staffing and technology, screening-related delays, and security flags found through social media checks.
The Secretary of State would develop a plan to add staff at embassies and consular offices and identify other ways to reduce visa appointment and processing delays.
Argument forMonthly data for each post and visa category could help applicants estimate decision times and help the public spot unusually long waits.
Argument againstA staffing plan might not reduce delays by itself because it does not require the department to hire a set number of workers.
More detail
The Secretary of State would publish visa wait-time information and explanations on the department's public website. The data would cover the time from a visa interview to a decision, both overall and by diplomatic or consular post and visa category. Each update would include the previous average, the current estimate, and a reason for those times. The department would publish this information every month.
The Secretary of State would give Congress a report on resources and delays in visa processing. The report would examine embassy and consulate staffing and technology, delays tied to social media screening policies adopted after January 20, 2025, and security flags found through that screening. The Secretary would submit the report no later than 90 days after the measure becomes law.
The Secretary of State would develop a plan for reducing visa delays. The plan would cover added staffing at embassies and consular offices and other possible solutions for reducing appointment waits and processing delays.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Oct 1Introduced in HouseLatest
- Oct 1Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.Introduced
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