As of the State Department’s update of 17 September 2026, the next available B1/B2 visitor visa interview was 11.5 months away at the US Consulate General in Dubai and 12.5 months away at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the longest of the nine US posts in the Gulf states. Student and exchange visitor (F, M and J) appointments were much closer, at 5 months in Dubai and 0.5 month in Abu Dhabi, and the US Embassy says routine visa processing is not available in the UAE, with routine services suspended since 1 March 2026.
Last checked 25 September 2026. Figures are copied from the US Department of State’s Global Visa Wait Times page, which it updates monthly, and from archived copies of the same official page for earlier months. Sources are listed at the end.
Current wait times, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
| Post | B1/B2 average wait | B1/B2 next available appointment | F, M, J next available | H, L, O, P, Q next available | C, D, C1/D next available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | NA | 12.5 months | 0.5 month | 0.5 month | 0.5 month |
| Dubai | NA | 11.5 months | 5 months | 4.5 months | 5 months |
What the US Embassy says about current processing
The US Embassy and Consulate in the UAE visa page states: “While the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai are open, routine visa processing is not available in the United Arab Emirates at this time.” It adds that nonimmigrant applicants “should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence or nationality.” The Mission suspended routine visa services on 1 March 2026 and gives no date for their return.
In practice the published B1/B2 wait is a system estimate, not a date you can currently book, while genuine emergencies are handled separately and need evidence. Students should read our US student visa guide for Dubai, and anyone renewing a visa should check whether they qualify for the interview waiver (Dropbox) route, which the wait time table does not cover.
How the UAE compares with the rest of the Gulf
| Post | B1/B2 next available appointment | F, M, J next available appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | 12.5 months | 0.5 month |
| Dubai | 11.5 months | 5 months |
| Muscat | 4 months | 4 months |
| Doha | 3.5 months | 3.5 months |
| Dhahran | 1.5 months | under 0.5 month |
| Kuwait | 1 month | under 0.5 month |
| Riyadh | 0.5 month | 0.5 month |
| Jeddah | under 0.5 month | under 0.5 month |
| Manama | under 0.5 month | under 0.5 month |
Earlier versions of the State Department page advised applicants scheduling an appointment away from their place of residence to check that post’s own website for nonresident wait times, so a short wait on this table does not by itself mean a slot is open to UAE residents.
Historical figures, 2023 to 2026
The State Department does not publish an archive of past figures, so the history below comes from copies of the official page saved by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Each row links to the archived copy. The date shown is the “last updated” date printed on the page, not the date the copy was saved.
May 2025 onwards: next available appointment, in months
| State Department update | Abu Dhabi B1/B2 next available | Dubai B1/B2 next available | Abu Dhabi F, M, J | Dubai F, M, J | Abu Dhabi B1/B2 average wait | Dubai B1/B2 average wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 May 2025 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 5.5 | 8 |
| 18 August 2025 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 |
| 17 September 2025 | 18.5 | 13 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | 6 |
| 20 November 2025 | 17.5 | 12 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 12 December 2025 | 16.5 | 12.5 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | 1 |
| 13 February 2026 | 16 | 12 | under 0.5 | under 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 27 March 2026 | 14.5 | 12 | 14.5 | 1 | NA | NA |
| 15 April 2026 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 2 | NA | NA |
| 18 May 2026 | 16 | 14 | 14.5 | 1.5 | NA | NA |
| 18 June 2026 | 6 | 12.5 | 6 | 1.5 | under 0.5 | NA |
| 17 September 2026 (live page) | 12.5 | 11.5 | 0.5 | 5 | NA | NA |
2023 to early 2025: estimated wait for an interview, in calendar days
Before May 2025 the page showed one estimated wait per visa category in calendar days. The last column converts the B1/B2 figure into months using the State Department’s current convention of 30 days per month, rounded to the nearest half month.
| State Department update | Abu Dhabi B1/B2 | Dubai B1/B2 | Abu Dhabi F, M, J | Dubai F, M, J | B1/B2 in months (Abu Dhabi / Dubai) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 January 2023 | 441 days | 472 days | 160 days | 92 days | 14.5 / 15.5 months |
| 2 March 2023 | 492 days | 483 days | 135 days | 100 days | 16.5 / 16 months |
| 9 June 2023 | 532 days | 574 days | 78 days | 84 days | 17.5 / 19 months |
| 19 September 2023 | 507 days | 533 days | 4 days | 29 days | 17 / 18 months |
| 15 December 2023 | 415 days | 394 days | 30 days | 50 days | 14 / 13 months |
| 5 March 2024 | 410 days | 357 days | 15 days | 16 days | 13.5 / 12 months |
| 17 June 2024 | 440 days | 352 days | 34 days | 59 days | 14.5 / 11.5 months |
| 13 September 2024 | 342 days | 393 days | 20 days | 29 days | 11.5 / 13 months |
| 29 November 2024 | 287 days | 351 days | 38 days | 14 days | 9.5 / 11.5 months |
| 31 December 2024 | 423 days | 284 days | 39 days | 22 days | 14 / 9.5 months |
| 7 January 2025 | 433 days | 284 days | 37 days | 22 days | 14.5 / 9.5 months |
Key findings
- Waits for a routine B1/B2 interview in the UAE have been measured in months, not weeks, in every archived update since January 2023. The shortest Dubai figure in the archived day based series was 284 days (about 9.5 months) in December 2024 and January 2025; the longest was 574 days (about 19 months) in June 2023.
- Under the current method, the Dubai B1/B2 figure has stayed between 11.5 and 14 months in every archived update since May 2025. Abu Dhabi has moved much more, from 18.5 months in September 2025 down to 6 months in June 2026, and back to 12.5 months in September 2026.
- Student visas are the exception. Abu Dhabi’s F, M and J figure is 0.5 month today, Dubai’s student figure was under 0.5 month from August to December 2025, between 1 and 2 months in spring 2026, and 5 months in the September 2026 update.
- Abu Dhabi’s student figure was 14.5 months in the March, April and May 2026 updates, then 6 months in June 2026 and 0.5 month in September 2026.
- The 17 September 2026 figures place Dubai and Abu Dhabi at the top of the Gulf table for B1/B2 waits, ahead of Muscat at 4 months and Doha at 3.5 months.
How to read the wait time table
- Next available appointment is the State Department’s estimate of how far away the first open interview slot is on the day the figure is published. Months are counted in 30 day blocks and half months in 15 day blocks, including weekends and holidays.
- Average wait time shows how long people who were actually interviewed in the previous month waited, measured from paying the visa fee to the interview date. The State Department only shows it for B1/B2 where the next available appointment is more than three months away.
- NA appears in the average column for both UAE posts in September 2026. The State Department does not define NA on the page, so we do not read anything into it. Earlier in 2025 the average was often far shorter than the next available date. The page itself explains that applicants who keep moving their booking to earlier released slots can end up waiting less than the headline figure, and at a post where routine processing is suspended, the people interviewed in a given month may not be typical applicants.
- Interview waiver cases are not included. The page says embassies may waive the in person interview for eligible applicants and that those wait times are not in the table.
- The figures are estimates, not promises. In the State Department’s words, the average wait times it reports “do not guarantee a visa applicant will get an appointment within a specific time.” New appointments are released regularly and a booked appointment can be moved earlier if a slot opens.
What this means if you live in the UAE
- If you need a B1/B2 visa for routine travel, plan on the published wait. Our US visa page explains the documents and the DS-160 so the file is ready the day a slot opens.
- If your travel is urgent, the embassy’s current notice is the route that matters. Our urgent US visa guide sets out what counts as urgent and what an agency can and cannot do.
- If you are a student with an admission letter, the student figure is the one to watch, not the B1/B2 figure. See the US student visa guide.
- The government visa application fee is USD 185 for B1/B2, F and M visas and for most J visas, and F and M students also pay a USD 350 SEVIS fee. Both are set by the US government; see the State Department fee page and the SEVIS I-901 fee page.
The visa decision rests with the consular officer alone. No agency, including Visa Doctor, can influence it or promise an approval.
How to get an earlier US visa appointment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi
The published wait is the official next available date. Real bookings can land earlier, because cancellations and new batches appear every week. These are the legitimate ways to improve your date, all taken from the US Mission’s own scheduling rules.
- Book the first date you are offered, then move it. The Mission says applicants with an existing appointment can log in and reschedule to an earlier one at any time, if one is available.
- Be online on Friday morning. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai release nonimmigrant interview appointments every Friday between 7:30 and 11:30 UAE time, except on US and UAE holidays, and sometimes release extra dates outside that window.
- Compare both posts. On 17 September 2026 the B1/B2 waits were 11.5 months in Dubai and 12.5 months in Abu Dhabi, but for students Abu Dhabi was 0.5 month against 5 months in Dubai.
- Use the expedite route only for a real emergency. Medical, funeral or urgent business reasons need evidence. See how the expedited appointment request works.
- Consider your country of nationality. The Mission tells nonimmigrant applicants to apply in their country of residence or nationality, so a shorter queue at home is a legitimate option. The USD 185 fee cannot be moved between countries.
- Have the file ready. An error in the DS-160 found at the window costs the appointment, not five minutes.
Nobody can buy a place in the official queue. For the current status of the Consulate in one page, see is the US Consulate in Dubai open for visas. For renewals, check first whether you qualify for the interview waiver (dropbox).
Already booked and want to move your date? Our guide to rescheduling a US visa appointment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi covers the official system and its limits.
Methodology
- Current figures were read from the Global Visa Wait Times page on 23 September 2026. The page showed “Last updated: 17-SEP-2026”. We checked the Abu Dhabi and Dubai rows three times on separate requests and recorded the cells exactly as published.
- Historical figures come from Internet Archive copies of the same URL. We took one capture per update where available and copied the Abu Dhabi and Dubai rows without adjustment. No archived capture was available for the State Department’s July and August 2026 updates, so they are not shown.
- Change of method. In 2025 the State Department replaced its single estimated wait in days with two measures, next available appointment and average wait, both in months. The two series are not directly comparable, which is why they sit in separate tables.
- Conversions. Our months column for the older series divides days by 30 and rounds to the nearest half month, matching the State Department’s current convention. Where the page printed “< 0.5” we write “under 0.5”.
- Scope. The table covers nonimmigrant visas that need an interview. Immigrant visas and interview waiver cases are outside it.
How to cite this page
Visa Doctor (2026). US visa wait times in Dubai and Abu Dhabi: tracker. Visa Doctor, Dubai. Last checked 25 September 2026. https://visadoctor.ae/us-visa-wait-times-uae-tracker/. Underlying data: US Department of State, Global Visa Wait Times, updated 17 September 2026, and Internet Archive copies of the same page. Journalists, researchers and students are welcome to quote the figures and tables with a link to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the US visa appointment wait in Dubai?
As of the State Department’s 17 September 2026 update, the next available B1/B2 visitor visa interview in Dubai was 11.5 months away. Student (F, M, J) appointments were 5 months away, and petition based work visas 4.5 months.
How long is the US visa appointment wait in Abu Dhabi?
The same 17 September 2026 update showed 12.5 months for a B1/B2 visitor visa interview in Abu Dhabi and 0.5 month for student, work and crew or transit categories.
Is the US Embassy in the UAE processing tourist visas?
Not routinely. The US Embassy says routine visa processing is not available in the UAE, and routine visa services have been suspended since 1 March 2026. The Mission handles genuine emergencies separately, and applicants can ask about an emergency appointment with evidence; everyone else should wait for the resumption or apply in their country of nationality or residence.
How can I get an earlier US visa appointment in Dubai?
Book the first available date, then log in regularly to move to an earlier one, which the Mission allows at any time. Watch the Friday morning releases between 7:30 and 11:30 UAE time, compare Dubai with Abu Dhabi, and use the expedite request only for a genuine emergency with evidence.
What time are US visa appointments released in the UAE?
Every Friday morning between 7:30 and 11:30 UAE time, except on US and UAE holidays. The Mission says it may also release extra appointments outside that schedule.
Is Abu Dhabi or Dubai faster for a US visa appointment?
For a B1/B2 visitor visa Dubai was slightly shorter on 17 September 2026, at 11.5 months against 12.5 months in Abu Dhabi. For student visas Abu Dhabi was much shorter, at 0.5 month against 5 months in Dubai.
Why is the average wait time shown as NA?
The State Department only shows an average wait for B1/B2 where the next available appointment is more than three months away, and it does not explain NA on the page. In September 2026 both UAE posts showed NA in that column, so the next available appointment figure is the one to use.
How often are US visa wait times updated?
The State Department says it updates the wait time information monthly, and that embassies release new appointment slots regularly. A booked appointment can be moved to an earlier slot if one becomes available.
Does the wait include the time to get the visa after the interview?
No. The figure is the time until the next available interview. Most decisions follow the interview, but a 221(g) request for more documents or administrative processing can add weeks. See 221(g) explained.
Sources and official references
- US Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times (live page, updated 17 September 2026)
- US Embassy and Consulate in the UAE: Visas
- US Department of State: Fees for Visa Services
- US Immigration and Customs Enforcement: I-901 SEVIS fee
- Internet Archive: Global Visa Wait Times, capture of the 18 June 2026 update
- Internet Archive: Global Visa Wait Times, capture of the 25 May 2025 update (first update in the current format)
- Internet Archive: Global Visa Wait Times, capture of the 12 January 2023 update