The United States Embassy in Ghana has announced a significant reduction in wait times for B1/B2 visa appointments, urging prospective applicants to take advantage of the current window to secure interview dates.

In a post shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the embassy revealed that additional temporary staff have been brought in as part of preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The move is aimed at improving visa processing efficiency and reducing the backlog of applicants.

According to the embassy, visa appointment wait times have dropped sharply over the past two years. 

In 2024, applicants typically waited about 15 months for an appointment. By 2025, the waiting period had decreased to five months, and it has now been reduced to just one week in 2026.

Officials say the improvements are largely due to the deployment of additional personnel to handle visa applications, a measure introduced to manage the anticipated increase in travel ahead of the global football tournament.

“Now is a great time to apply or move your appointment up for an earlier date — wait times may not stay this low for long,” the embassy stated.

The announcement is expected to bring relief to many Ghanaian travelers seeking B1/B2 visas, which are commonly issued for tourism and business travel to the United States.

The embassy encouraged applicants to check available interview slots and take advantage of the reduced wait times while they last. More information on visa applications can be found on the embassy’s official visa information page.