The U.S. Consulate in Costa Rica is recommending that those requesting a visa to travel to the United States in December or January make their appointments promptly since the consulate is currently short-staffed.

Getting an appointment for a visa now takes about five weeks. The consulate is working on reducing this time and hopes more workers come to the country soon to allow more visa interviews to be conducted and reduce waiting time, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy released yesterday.