New Delhi/IBNS: Despite attempts to cut the backlog and amid the appointment waiting period for a United States visa which is still over 500 days in India, the US embassy on Sunday said that Indians who are travelling abroad can get a visa appointment at the consulate of their destination. 

Citing Thailand as an example, the US embassy said that the country has appointment capacity for B1 and B2 visas (travel and business).

"Do you have upcoming international travel? If so, you may be able to get a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your destination. For example, @USEmbassyBKK has opened B1/B2 appointment capacity for Indians who will be in Thailand in the coming months," US embassy, India, tweeted.

To cut delays in processing visas, the US recently launched new initiatives, including scheduling special interviews for first-time applicants and increasing the strength of consular staff.

The US embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad also conducted "special Saturday interview days" on Jan 21.

The US State Department has also implemented remote processing of interview waiver cases for applicants with previous US visas.