When you Google “US embassy in Kenya visa appointment wait times” or “Current US Visa Appointment Wait times in Nairobi”, the following information pops up:
Current US Visa Appointment Wait times in Nairobi
| Non-immigrant US Visa Type | Appointment Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Visitor Visa | 674 Days |
| Student/Exchange Visitor Visas | 478 Days |
| All Other Non-immigrant Visas | 63 Days |
That is 2 good years!
However, the magnitude of the delay doesn’t hit you until you try to schedule that US visa appointment in Nairobi.
I was shook!!
A 22 December, 2021 announcement on the US embassy website actually warns that due to an increasing backlog of visa appointment requests, you may experience a significant delay between paying your visa fee and scheduling an interview appointment.
And that “by paying the visa fee, you acknowledge that it may take several months to schedule an interview appointment”.
Wueh!
I think it is time this was edited to it WILL take several years to schedule an interview appointment at the US embassy in Nairobi Kenya 🙂
As at the writing of this article for instance, the earliest available US visa interview appointment in Nairobi visa appointment date is literally 15th May 2024!!!!
On the flip side, just across the borders to Tanzania if you Google “US embassy in Tanzania visa appointment wait times” or “Current US Visa Appointment Wait times in Dar es Salaam”, the following information pops up:
| Non-immigrant US Visa Type | Appointment Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Visitor Visa | 57 Days |
| Student/Exchange Visitor Visas | 77 Days |
| All Other Non-immigrant Visas | 77 Days |
That’s 10+ more wait times in Nairobi than in Dar es Salaam.
Wakenya mnaenda wapi????
The good news however is that there is a provision for Expedited/Emergency Appointments
If you have an urgent need to travel to the US because of an emergency, please go to their Global Support Website and apply for an “Expedited Appointment” – for instructions on how to do so, go here and scroll down to the section on “Emergency Appointments.”
Please note that you will not be granted an expedited appointment if you have been refused a nonimmigrant visa within the past 12 months.
Due to the limited number of available appointments, only the most urgent matters, such as the following, will qualify for an expedited appointment.
- Death of an immediate (parent, child, or sibling) family member in the United States.
- Urgent medical care in the United States for the applicant.
- Professional medical escort for someone receiving care in the United States.
- Students who would suffer irreparable harm, such as the loss of a scholarship, if they arrive after their scheduled start of classes. Please note that expedited appointments will not be granted for students more than 30 days before their scheduled start of classes.
- Accompanying a minor U.S. citizen to the United States. Note that no more than one escort will be permitted.
- Spouses of U.S. citizens.
- Pilots, air crew, and other airline personnel who are traveling for training, or aircraft pickup, delivery, or maintenance.
- Travel to support a major entertainment product conducted in the United States that would not go on without the traveler.
- Travel by highly specialized professionals or experts to install, service, maintain, or receive necessary training for vessels, machinery, and other critical equipment required by U.S. and foreign firms with a substantial investment in the United States.
- Travel by executives, senior-level, and other critical employees providing strategy and direction to U.S. and foreign firms. Requests for an expedited appointment under this category must specify the exact job title of the traveler and the nature of the employer’s work in the United States.
- Executive direction in connection with vital support of Critical Infrastructure Sectors as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, or supply chain directly linked to Critical Infrastructure Sectors. Designated sectors are: chemical, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, dams, defense industrial base, emergency services, energy, financial services, food and agriculture, government facilities, healthcare and public health, information technology, nuclear reactors, transportation, and water/wastewater systems. Requests for an expedited appointment under this category must specify the exact nature of the executive direction and which Critical Infrastructure Sector applies.
- Required appearance in a U.S. court, and the court indicates in writing that the appearance must be in-person.
Additionally, there is also option of new interview waiver or visa renewals for certain visa classes in Kenya
If your visitor or student visa (B1/B2, F1, F2, J1, J2, M1, M2) is still valid, or expired less than one year ago, you may be able to renew your visa without an in-person interview.
Eligibility for an interview waiver will be determined as you go through the process of scheduling an appointment on the US embassy website .
You will be provided instructions on how to proceed if you have been determined to qualify for an interview waiver.
Please note that you must be applying for one of the above-mentioned visa types, or be renewing your visa, to be eligible for an interview waiver.
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