US visa wait times in El Salvador
All US visa interviews for El Salvador run through a single post: the embassy in San Salvador. The table below pulls directly from the State Department’s official wait-times report and refreshes automatically, so the numbers you see are the ones the embassy is actually reporting.
Current wait times at Embassy San Salvador
| U.S. post | Visitor B1/B2 — interview wait | B1/B2 — next appointment | Students (F, M, J) | Work petition (H, L, O, P, Q) | Crew / transit (C, D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Salvador | Not available | < 0.5 Month | < 0.5 Month | < 0.5 Month | < 0.5 Month |
Source: U.S. State Department Global Visa Wait Times (source last updated 2026-06-18; retrieved 2026-07-13). Waits are estimates and change without notice — verify at travel.state.gov.
Read the two B1/B2 columns differently: the interview wait is a backward-looking average of recent applicants’ experience, while the next-appointment figure is today’s first open calendar slot. A “not available” in the first column with a real number in the second usually just means the post hasn’t reported the average — the calendar is the number that matters for planning.
What Salvadoran applicants should know
- No second post. Unlike Mexico’s ten consulates, El Salvador offers no in-country alternative — the San Salvador calendar is the only calendar.
- Urgent travel (medical emergencies, funerals, time-critical business) can qualify for an expedited appointment requested through the scheduling system after the fee is paid, with documentation.
- Renewals may skip the line entirely through the interview-waiver track — the scheduling questionnaire decides, so answer it before assuming you need an interview.
- Already in the US? These waits apply to applications made from El Salvador. If you hold TPS or have a pending case in the US, talk to a lawyer before traveling for any consular interview.
Related information
- Salvadoran consulates in the US — procedures in the other direction
- TPS El Salvador status
- Paths to legal status
- Wait times in other countries
Last verified: 2026-06-11.
General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.