Reducing Visa Delays Act
Requires the State Department to report on visa delays, publish monthly wait-time information, and plan to increase consular staffing.
In two House committees since Oct. 1, 2026, 7 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROOCT 1, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- SENATESENATE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Visa applicants may wait between an interview and a decision on their application. The bill would require the State Department to report on staffing, resources, and social media vetting, publish wait-time information each month, and develop a plan to reduce delays.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Publish monthly visa wait times
The Secretary of State would publish monthly average and estimated times from visa interviews to application decisions. The information would be broken down by embassy or consulate and visa category, with an explanation of the times.
- Report on staffing and vetting
Within 90 days after enactment, the Secretary of State would report to Congress on embassy and consulate staffing, whether each post has the technology and resources it needs, and how social media vetting policies adopted after January 20, 2025, affect visa waits. The report would also give the number of security flags identified through that vetting.
- Plan to increase consular staffing
The Secretary of State would develop a strategic plan to increase staffing at consular offices and embassies and include other solutions identified for reducing appointment waits and processing delays.
The bill focuses on visa appointment and processing delays and asks whether embassy and consulate staffing, technology, and resources are adequate to reduce them. It also calls for examining whether social media vetting policies affect those waits.
Publishing estimates and explanations could make delays more visible, while the staffing plan could guide efforts to address them. The bill does not set a required staffing level or a target for reducing wait times.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedOCT 1, 2026HOUSEOCT 1, 2026By Rep. SubramanyamReferred to Foreign Affairs and Judiciary
- SAME DAYNOWHouse committeesOCT 1, 2026FOREIGN AFFAIRS · JUDICIARY NOWOCT 1, 2026In committee for 7 daysNo hearing yet
- 7 DAYS SO FARPassed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Senate committee—SENATE—
- Passed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- OCT 12026OCT 1, 2026REFERREDReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- OCT 12026OCT 1, 2026INTRODUCEDHOUSEIntroduced in House
At day 7, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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