Some UAE residents who want to travel to the US for vacations or for business purposes have found a way to get quick visa appointments: they are going to neighbouring Gulf countries to apply for the same.
The residents in the country have to wait at least a year for US visa appointments owing to a large number of applications, travel agents in the UAE told Khaleej Times.
It was because of this inordinate delay that Indian expat Anshil Ponthuveetil Thekkumpurath chose to go to Saudi Arabia instead of applying for an US visa in the UAE.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“In UAE, it was taking 10-12 months – probably even more, but I wanted to get the US visa urgently. So I went to the US Consulate General Al Khobar in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, for a visa appointment. It took me just 7 days to complete the whole process. I got the passport after 7 days with the US stamped on it,” said the UAE resident.
“Interestingly, the US visa was the easiest visa I have obtained so far compared to Schengen or Canadian visas,” said Thekkumpurath.
Ron Packowitz, the country consular coordinator at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, had earlier told Khaleej Times that appointments for US visas could be obtained in any country and people could apply from wherever they like.
Shamsheed CV, senior consultant for outbound travel at Wisefox Tourism, too, said applicants had to wait as late as July 2025 for US visa appointments in the UAE.
“We are suggesting people travel to any nearby GCC country to apply to get a visa faster. In Oman, the current waiting time is only three months, 2-3 weeks in Bahrain, and around the same time in Saudi Arabia. If people clear the interview, they can get their passport back in five days and fly back to the UAE. People are going to neighbouring countries to apply for US visas, but a large number of people are still not aware of this option,” he said.
Shamsheed CV added that both individuals as well as families from the UAE are seeking US visas in other Gulf countries.
TP Sudheesh, general manager of Deira Travel and Tourist Agency, said earlier appointments are available in other parts of GCC like Muscat and Saudi Arabia. “A lot of people who want to travel to the US on an urgent basis are choosing this option.”
Mir Wasim Raja, manager for MICE and holidays at Galadari International Travel Services, also acknowledged that people who wish to fly to the US early are going to GCC countries to get visas quickly.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi has advised applicants to arrive at the Consular Section not more than 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment time. Children under 14 are not required to attend visa interviews unless parents or guardians have received explicit instructions to bring them.