Israelis Seeking Visas to U.S. Face Further Delays

The U.S. Consulate in Tel Aviv announced on Thursday that Israelis seeking to receive visas are facing further, prolonged delays.

In addition to long waiting times at the consulate, prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the embassy said that all visa interview appointments scheduled for August and September of this year would be postponed.

In a video posted online, Denise Taylor, chief of the non-immigrant visa program, noted that delays in Israel were less severe than in other places around the world.

She told applicants who had already booked their interviews for August and September that the embassy will contact them and provide new appointments within 90 days.

She also said that for Israelis wishing to apply for a tourist visa and have not yet done so, appointments are only available from May of 2023.

Last November, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said that she was negotiating a deal with U.S. officials to allow Israelis to travel to America without the need for a pre-issued tourist visa as soon as 2023.

Shaked made the comments after her meeting with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

However, Israel has yet to meet the requirements of the visa waiver program, which would automatically provide a 90-day visa for tourists traveling to the U.S.