Embassies and consulates · United Kingdom
London: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 15 days for student visa appointments and 1 month for visitor visas at London. 0 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Student and exchange visas
15 days wait
24,570 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Visitor visas
1 month wait
71,314 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Temporary work visas
15 days wait
22,621 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Immigrant visas
Scheduling Jun 2026
4,401 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Appointment waits at London
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for London on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | London | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 1 month | 1 month | 86 of 187 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
London student wait over time
London has ranged same day to 1 month across 24 months on record, so treat today's figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The median over that time was 9 days.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Immigrant visa interview scheduling at London
In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at London.
Immediate relative
June 2026
4 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
March 2026
7 months behind
Employment-based preference
February 2026
8 months behind
Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
Earlier scheduling months at London →Visas issued at London
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
11,344
13% fewer than February 2025 (12,994). 136,810 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
348
20% more than February 2025 (289). 4,401 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at London →Visitor visa refusal rate for Great Britain and Northern Ireland nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland wherever they applied, not a rate for London.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
20.44%
Ranks 131 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when London changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 1 month now
We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
Other U.S. posts in United Kingdom
- BelfastStudent wait 15 days
Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.