US Visa Rescheduling Rules India 2026: Limits & Risks

Key Takeaways (Updated January 2026)

• Hard Limit: You generally get 2 to 3 free reschedules per fee payment. Exceeding this forces you to pay again.
• Soft Limit (Viewing): Simply looking at the calendar too often triggers a 72-hour account lock.
• Safe Strategy: Do not waste your limited logins on guessing. Use VisaApt to monitor slots externally and only log in when a verified slot is open.

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Table of Contents

1. Current Rescheduling Limits in 2026
2. What Happens When You Exceed the Limit?
3. Viewing Limits & Account Lock Risks
4. Does Checking Slots Cancel Your Current Appointment?
5. How to Reschedule Safely (Step-by-Step)
6. Best Strategy: Save Your Attempts with VisaApt
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Current Rescheduling Limits in 2026

The US visa scheduling portal (usvisascheduling.com) enforces strict limits to prevent slot hoarding.

The Rules (2026):

• Initial Booking: Counts as your first action.
• Reschedules Allowed: Generally 2 to 3 additional changes.
• The "Grey Area": The exact number is not officially published and varies by visa class. Some users report getting locked after 2 tries, others after 4.
• Best Practice: Treat every reschedule as your last. Do not "test" dates.

Warning: Since late 2025, the system has become stricter. Wasting a reschedule on a date you don't really want is a costly mistake.

What Happens When You Exceed the Limit?

When you hit the cap, you will see an error message: "Maximum number of appointments exceeded".

What this means:

1. Your current appointment is SAFE. It is not cancelled. You can still attend it.
2. You are stuck. You cannot change the date or location anymore.
3. The Fix: To book a new date, you must Cancel your current appointment and pay a new MRV fee (approx ₹15,540) to generate a fresh receipt number.

Viewing Limits & Account Lock Risks

Separate from rescheduling, the portal restricts how often you can view the availability calendar. This is the "Soft Ban".

Common Triggers:

• Logging in more than 3-4 times a day.
• Refreshing the calendar page rapidly.
• Clicking "Reschedule" just to look, then clicking "Back".

Consequences:

• Error: "You have exceeded the limit for viewing this page."
• Lockout: You are blocked from the site for 24 to 72 hours.
• Risk: If a real slot opens during your lockout, you will miss it.

Does Checking Slots Cancel Your Current Appointment?

NO. This is a common myth that scares applicants.

• You can log in and view the calendar safely (within the viewing limits).
• Your existing appointment remains confirmed.
• The old slot is only cancelled the moment you click "Confirm" on a new date selection.

How to Reschedule Safely (Step-by-Step)

1. Log into usvisascheduling.com.
2. Go to your dashboard and click "Reschedule Appointment".
3. Select your preferred location(s) to view the calendar.
4. Crucial Step: Only proceed if you see a date you actually want. If not, close the browser immediately to save your "Reschedule Limit".
5. If you find a date, select it and click Confirm.

Best Strategy: External Monitoring with VisaApt

Manual checking is dangerous because it wastes your "Viewing Limit" and risks a ban.

The VisaApt Method (Zero Risk):

1. Stay Logged Out: Do not touch the portal.
2. Let Us Watch: Configure VisaApt to monitor availability from our external servers. This uses ZERO of your personal login attempts.
3. Get Alerted: We send you an email/SMS instantly when a slot opens.
4. Strike: You log in once, go straight to the open date, and book it.

Result: You use only 1 login and 1 reschedule attempt for a guaranteed improvement.

Protect your account limits. Start monitoring with VisaApt.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is the rescheduling limit per person or per family? It is per MRV receipt. However, since families usually book as a group, one group action counts as a reschedule for everyone.

2. Can customer support reset my rescheduling limit? No. The call center cannot override the system. If you max out, you must pay again.

3. Does the viewing lock reset automatically? Yes. The "Soft Ban" usually clears automatically after 24 hours (midnight EST), but can last up to 72 hours if you keep trying to log in.

4. What if I get a "User Frozen" message? This is a more severe ban, often due to using unauthorized browser extensions or bots. Stop all activity for 72 hours. To stay safe, use passive monitoring tools like VisaApt that don't interact with your browser session.