The earliest available date in Dubai is October 18, 2024 and in Abu Dhabi it is November 2024 only.
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UAE residents planning a trip to the United States should be patient as the earliest appointment for a US visa is available only after a year, travel industry experts said.
“There is unprecedented demand among UAE residents to travel to the United States. And the closest available date in Dubai is October 18, 2024; and in Abu Dhabi it will not be until November 2024,” Dhas Antony, CEO of Rejoice Tourism LLC, told Khaleej Times.
Industry experts said visa appointment slots in the UAE are filling up faster every day, as many eager residents got their appointments six to eight months ago. As spots are booked, some visa experts said appointments will not be available until March 2025 in the coming days.
“We receive more than a hundred inquiries every day, which shows the enthusiasm of UAE residents to travel to the United States. The seats after one year are filling up quickly and in the coming days we can expect availability of appointments in 2025,” said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager, inbound and outbound operations, Regal Tours Worldwide.
Get an appointment in any GCC state
However, there is an alternative. Experts have said that UAE residents have the privilege of making an appointment for a US visa in any GCC country and can apply for it in just a few days or a month.
“Many residents are choosing to travel to neighboring countries for the appointment, something UAE residents are privileged to do,” Subair said.
“Appointment is available in Saudi Arabia within a week, which is filling up quickly, and in Kuwait and Oman next month,” Subair said.
How to apply for a visit visa to the USA:
There are two types of visit visas to the United States:
B1 Show: A US business visa must be applied for if traveling for business purposes. This visa is also known as B1 Visa.
B2 Visa: A tourist visa for tourism is also known as a B2 Visa. The visit visa allows you to enter the US and stay there for up to six months and can be obtained by completing the online form DS-160.
Procedure to apply for a visit visa:
• Check what type of visa you need
• Find out where you should apply in the UAE
• Complete the online application form
• Pay the visa fee
• Get an appointment for a US visa interview
• Gather the documents required for the visa.
• Attend the visa interview
