COVID travel restrictions may be improving, but the most recent update to the Department of State’s Visa Wait Times confirms that there are still very serious, ongoing visa appointment delays resulting from the pandemic. During peak pandemic times, many US Embassies and Consulates were forced to close entirely or to limit their services to emergency appointments only. Over the past year, many have reopened and resumed processing as expeditiously as possible, but it seems that they are once again overwhelmed by the volume and backlog of applications. Presently, at many US consulates, the wait to secure a US nonimmigrant visa stamping appointment is 100 days or more. In Paris, it’s 200 days; in Melbourne, it’s 220 days; and in Madrid, it’s 124 days. (https://www.natlawreview.com/article/visa-stamp-delays-us-consulates-publish-increased-wait-times-to-schedule) Many people will be anxious about the long wait times for securing appointments, and will want to appeal to the consulate for earlier appointments. There are very limited options for securing earlier appointments.