Some UAE citizens who wish to visit the US for business or leisure have discovered a technique to secure fast visa appointments: they apply for the same visas in neighboring Gulf nations.

Due to a high volume of applications, citizens must wait at least a year for interviews for US visas, travel agents in the UAE told Khaleej Times.

Anshil Ponthuveetil Thekkumpurath, an Indian expat, decided to travel to Saudi Arabia rather than seek for a US visa in the United Arab Emirates due to this excessive delay.

It was taking ten to twelve months in the UAE, if not longer, but I really needed the US visa. For a visa appointment, I proceeded to the US Consulate General Al Khobar located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. I finished the process in a few seven days. After seven days, I received my passport with a US stamp on it," the UAE resident stated.

"It's interesting to note that, in comparison to Schengen or Canadian visas, the US visa was the easiest to obtain," Thekkumpurath stated.

The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi's country consular coordinator, Ron Packowitz, had previously informed Khaleej Times that individuals may apply for US visas from anywhere and that appointments could be made in any nation.

Shamsheed CV, senior consultant for outbound travel at Wisefox Tourism, too, said applicants had to wait as late as July 2025 for US visa appointments in the UAE.

“We are suggesting people travel to any nearby GCC country to apply to get a visa faster. In Oman, the current waiting time is only three months, 2-3 weeks in Bahrain, and around the same time in Saudi Arabia. If people clear the interview, they can get their passport back in five days and fly back to the UAE. People are going to neighbouring countries to apply for US visas, but a large number of people are still not aware of this option,” he said.

Shamsheed CV added that both individuals as well as families from the UAE are seeking US visas in other Gulf countries.

TP Sudheesh, general manager of Deira Travel and Tourist Agency, said earlier appointments are available in other parts of GCC like Muscat and Saudi Arabia. “A lot of people who want to travel to the US on an urgent basis are choosing this option.”

Mir Wasim Raja, manager for MICE and holidays at Galadari International Travel Services, also acknowledged that people who wish to fly to the US early are going to GCC countries to get visas quickly.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi has advised applicants to arrive at the Consular Section not more than 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment time. Children under 14 are not required to attend visa interviews unless parents or guardians have received explicit instructions to bring them.