In a recent government meeting, officials announced significant improvements in visa and passport processing times, highlighting efforts to facilitate travel to the United States. The median wait time for first-time visitor visa interviews has dropped to under 60 days, with plans to add an additional 1,000,000 visa appointments in fiscal year 2025. This increase aims to accommodate the influx of visitors for major upcoming sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, and the Rugby World Championships, marking what is being termed a \"mega decade for sports\" in the U.S.

Officials emphasized their commitment to ensuring that travelers can obtain their visas in a timely and efficient manner, particularly in light of these high-profile events. Alongside visa improvements, the passport issuance process has also seen record numbers, with 24.5 million passport books and cards issued in fiscal year 2024—an increase of half a million from the previous year. The wait time for passport processing has decreased to just 4 to 6 weeks, and a new online passport renewal program was launched in September, allowing most Americans to renew their passports from home by simply uploading a photograph.

These developments reflect a concerted effort by the government to enhance travel accessibility and streamline processes for both visas and passports, ensuring that the American public and international visitors can engage in global travel with greater ease.