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US visa appointment delays put UAE students' university plans at risk
Parents say limited US visa processing in the UAE and lack of appointments in home countries are putting overseas education plans under pressure
- PUBLISHED: Tue 21 Jul 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Wed 22 Jul 2026, 9:01 AM
For several UAE-based families, the final weeks before university begins have turned into a race against time as students admitted to US universities struggle to secure visa appointments.
Parents say limited visa processing in the UAE, coupled with a shortage of appointment slots in their home countries, has left them uncertain about whether their children will be able to join their campuses this fall.
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With many students preparing to travel to the US for undergraduate programmes, families say the uncertainty has added stress to an already demanding transition.
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Some parents have been forced to explore alternative destinations, while others continue to wait for appointments that could determine their children’s academic journey.
Akshay Jain, whose son has secured admission to a university in California, said the family is facing difficulties securing a student visa appointment.
“We have been living in the UAE for more than 20 years, and our son has secured admission to a university in California in the US. Like many families preparing to send their children abroad this fall, we are now facing uncertainty because student visa appointments are extremely difficult to obtain.”
Jain said the family was directed to apply in India.
“With limited visa processing in the UAE, we have been asked to apply in our home country, India. However, despite trying for several weeks, we have not been able to secure a single appointment slot at any visa application centre there.”
He added that attempts to explore other options in the region also did not yield results, leaving students and parents anxious about their plans.
“It has left families like ours in a very challenging situation, with students’ university plans hanging in the balance.”
Some families turn to alternative university destinations
For another UAE-based family, the visa uncertainty meant reconsidering options. Alok Bhagwat said his son had received offers from several reputed US universities, but the inability to secure an appointment created significant anxiety.
“When we applied for a US visa through our agent, we were directed to apply in our home country, India. However, our agent couldn’t secure an appointment there, and there were no slots available in the UAE either.”
The family eventually found reassurance when their son’s preferred choice, Imperial College London in the UK, became a viable option after his IB results were released.
“Once the IB results were released, he knew he had met the conditions of his offer. It was a huge relief for our family, as we no longer had to worry about chasing a US visa appointment.”
The US missions in the UAE told Khaleej Times that while the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai remain open, routine visa processing is currently unavailable in the UAE.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy Abu Dhabi said consular operations were prioritising services for US citizens “following the departure of non-emergency employees due to the threat of armed conflict.”
“While the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai are open, routine visa processing is not available in the United Arab Emirates at this time.”
The spokesperson added that applicants should apply as early as possible and “to anticipate additional processing time for these visa categories.”
“All visa applicants should schedule their visa interview appointments in their country of residence or nationality.”
Nonimmigrants applying outside of their country of residence, country of nationality, or designated processing post may find that appointment availability is limited, and “applicants may find it more difficult to satisfy their burden to establish eligibility for the visa classification sought.”
The US Embassy Abu Dhabi's spokesperson also explained that applicants may use the “expedite request function to request an exception, which will only be granted at the discretion of the consular officer.”
Meanwhile, the mission is directing applicants to check Global Visa Wait Times on travel.state.gov for updated information on visa wait times by category and location.
Families must plan earlier amid changing study-abroad landscape
Education counsellors say visa challenges are adding to broader concerns around overseas education, including rising tuition costs, policy changes and questions around long-term returns on investment.
Rema Menon Vellat, Founder & Director, Counselling Point Training and Development, said the current situation has made planning for international education more complex for families.
“The current geopolitical situation poses problems in securing visa appointments, furthermore, some of the countries have brought in caps on student visas being granted.”
She also stressed that families must evaluate affordability and post-study opportunities before finalising destinations.
“The universities across the board have increased fees so parents are forced to think about return on investment especially with the rate of the dollar vis-a-vis the value of the currency in the respective home country.”
