While in Brazil, the US received 820,000 visa applications this year, a 42 per cent increase over 2010; in China more than one million applications have been processed during fiscal year 2011, a growth of 34 per cent from the last year.
To meet the surging demand for US visas in Brazil, the Department of State is deploying waves of temporary employees to the US Embassy in Brasilia and US Consulates in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Recife.
"These employees are helping to process extraordinary numbers of visa applications until permanent staff members arrive.
"The Department will double consular staffing in Brazil over the course of 2012, adding 50 new officer positions," the State Department said.
With the help of additional personnel, US Mission in Brazil has reduced the average wait time for visa interview appointments to less than 50 days, it said.
The US Missions to Brazil and China will continue to reduce visa interview wait times to the greatest extent possible by adding staff and eliminating inefficiencies wherever possible, the State Department said.
"The average wait for visa interview appointments in China is now less than ten days," it said.
The State Department further said that while it always puts security first, visitors to the US make critical contributions to economic growth and job creation.
And to encourage even greater number of Brazilians to visit the United States, shortening visa interview wait times is a priority.