US Embassy Cancels 2,000 Visa Appointments in India Over Bot-Driven Fraud
The US Embassy in India has cancelled over 2,000 visa appointments due to fraudulent activities involving automated bots. The move comes as part of the embassy’s crackdown on “bad actors” who exploited the appointment system.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the embassy said, “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 embassy further confirmed that the associated accounts have been suspended, blocking their future scheduling privileges.
The US has been struggling with massive visa backlogs, particularly for B1 and B2 visas—meant for business and tourism. In 2022-23, waiting periods ranged between 800 to 1,000 days, forcing the US to open visa slots for Indian applicants in Frankfurt and Bangkok to ease the burden.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue of visa delays with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2022, who attributed the backlog to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Jaishankar again pressed the matter earlier this year during discussions with members of the second Trump administration, highlighting the impact of prolonged wait times on bilateral relations.
The visa challenges extend beyond business and tourism. In FY 2023-24, the US received 679,000 applications for F-1 student visas, rejecting 279,000—a 41% denial rate, up from 36% the previous year. Reports indicate that Indian students faced a 38% drop in visa approvals during the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The increasing visa rejections and scheduling fraud raise concerns about accessibility and fairness for genuine applicants, impacting travel, education, and business exchanges between the two nations.
