F-1 Visa Portal Panic: Indian Students See Ghost Slots

F-1 visa applicants in India are facing growing frustration due to appointment slots disappearing within seconds on the official portal. Many users have reported frequent technical glitches. These issues are making the already stressful visa booking process even more difficult.

One student shared that they checked the portal daily for nearly 20 days without success. Securing both parts of the appointment remained a challenge. While VAC slots were hard to find, consular interview dates were even more difficult to access.

The student claimed that even when biometric slots briefly appeared, the system failed to show consular dates. In some cases, errors occurred before the booking could be completed. Heavy demand and high traffic are likely causing these issues.

Several applicants reported that the portal has been facing technical problems for the past 10 to 20 days. Some users said they were informed that the issue might not be resolved soon. This has increased anxiety among students planning to travel.

Many applicants are also seeing repeated VAC slot availability without progress. These are being referred to as ghost slots. Such slots appear temporarily but do not allow users to complete the booking process.

Amid the confusion, some visa slot tracking services are reportedly creating panic online. These platforms may push paid services by exploiting urgency. Applicants are advised to remain cautious and avoid making decisions out of desperation.