UAE travel: Visa appointments to US available only after 1 year; experts suggest alternative procedure

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UAE residents planning of a trip to the United States should be patient as the earliest appointment for a US visa is available only after one year, travel industry experts said.

“There is an unprecedented demand among UAE residents to travel to the US. And the closest available date in Dubai is October 18, 2024; and in Abu Dhabi is only in November 2024,” Dhas Antony, general manager of Rejoice Tourism LLC, told Khaleej Times.

Industry experts said that the slots for visa appointments in the UAE are filling up faster every day as many eager residents got their appointments six to eight months ago. As the slots are getting booked, some visa experts said that the appointments will not be available until March 2025 in the coming days.

“We are receiving over a hundred inquiries every day, which shows UAE resident's eagerness to travel to the US. The slots after a year are fast filling and in the coming days, we can expect the availability of the appointments in 2025,” said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager for inbound and outbound operations at Regal Tours Worldwide.

Get appointment in any GCC state

There is an alternative, though. Experts have said that UAE residents are privileged to request a US visa appointment in any GCC nation and can be availed within just a few days to a month.

“Many residents are opting to travel to neighbouring countries for the appointment, for which UAE residents are privileged,” said Subair.

“The appointment is available in Saudi Arabia in a week’s time, which is fast filling, and in Kuwait and Oman next month,” said Subair.

How to apply for a US visit visa:

There are two types of US visit visas:

B1 Visa: One should apply for a US Business visa if traveling for business purposes. This visa is also known as the B1 Visa.

B2 Visa: A tourist visa for tourism is also known as the B2 Visa. The visit visa enables one to enter the US and remain there for up to six months and can be obtained by completing the DS-160 online form.