Trackers / Travel-ready check
Travel-ready check
Planning a trip outside the U.S.? Enter your dates and situation. We flag what could stop you coming back, and show current visa appointment waits at consulates in India and China.
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Visa appointment waits
| Consulate | Work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) | Visitors (B-1/B-2), e.g. parents |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi, India | 3.5 Months | 11 Months |
| Mumbai, India | 2 Months | 12 Months |
| Chennai, India | 2.5 months | 7.5 months |
| Hyderabad, India | 6.5 Months | 10.5 Months |
| Kolkata, India | 1 Month | 8.5 Months |
| Beijing, China | 5.5 Months | 2 Months |
| Shanghai, China | 3.5 Months | 3.5 Months |
| Guangzhou, China | 3 Months | 2.5 Months |
| Shenyang, China | 1 Month | < 0.5 Month |
| Wuhan, China | 4.5 Months | 2 Months |
State Department estimates as of Nov 9, 2026. Waits change weekly; emergency appointments exist for urgent travel. Check the official page ↗
Pack these
- Passport, and your current I-797 approval notice (the original).
- An employment verification letter and your last few pay stubs.
- For H-4: your spouse's documents, plus your marriage certificate.
- If you'll get a new visa stamp: the appointment confirmation and the DS-160 page. A consulate can hold a case for extra checks (administrative processing), which can take weeks: leave slack before your return date.
Set reminders for your dates with My deadlines. Stamping details: visa stamping guide.
How this works
Checks follow general rules: you re-enter with a valid visa stamp (or advance parole), your approval notice must cover the date you return, and your passport should stay valid well past your trip. H-1B and L-1 workers (and their H-4 and L-2 family) with a pending green card application may travel on their visa without abandoning it; others need advance parole first. Consulate waits are the State Department's own published estimates, copied weekly. This is a checklist, not legal advice: if anything is amber or red, talk to your attorney before booking.
- State Department: Global visa wait times
- USCIS: Travel documents and pending adjustment (Policy Manual)
- CBP: I-94 lookup
- State Department: Temporary worker visas
An estimate, not legal advice. Your own case can differ; talk to an immigration attorney before acting on it.