No More Easy US Visas? America Tightens Rules – Kids, Senior Citizens To Face Interviews; Indians Hit Hard | World News
Washington, DC: To get a US visa from 2 September is much more challenging for many. The US Department of State has made great changes to address immigrant visa negotiations. New rules raise alarms, especially among Indian applicants.
Under the new system, children under the age of 14 and the elderly over 79 years of age will no longer be exempt from face -to -face negotiations. Only a few special visa categories and renewal will receive this privilege. For everyone else, including B1/B2 and H-1B applicants, to appear for the consular interview may be compulsory even if they have previously kept a visa.
US Citizenship and Migration Services (USCIS) says that reviewed instructions are to strengthen national security. However, the changes are expected to slow down the whole process. More people. More interviews. Waits longer.
The timing could not be worse for Indian families. The Indian community is one of the largest non -immigrant traveler groups in the US, including students, technology professionals, business visitors and families. Many of them are already dealing with long delays for visa appointments. The new system process can make it even more unpredictable.
Houston -based immigration lawyer Steven Brown says the change is comprehensive. “I think they end the Dropbox suitability for most categories. This means much less efficiency for longer queues, more appointments and renovations,” he said.
Brown did not retreat when it comes to rules that require children to appear in person. “The idea of interviewing children for a visa is absurd,” he said.
Some diplomats and official visa categories such as A, G, NATO and Tecro E-1 applicants are still exempt. However, most travelers will now have to travel to the consulate, wait for an appointment and prepare for face -to -face questioning.
The reversal of the policy replaces the softer approach adopted in February 2023. At that time, the exemptions were wider and the accumulated work caused by Covid aimed to alleviate. Now, under a renewed push for tighter scanning, these flexibility are taken back.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that consular officers can still exercise discretionary authority depending on the case or local conditions. However, this does not change the core of the policy that requires most people to appear itself.
The authorities associated the movement with wider concerns about global security. Donald Trump management supported the change by arguing that the current environment required more strict controls. Personal risk assessments and face -to -face examination are focused again.
Applicants are advised to check the US Embassy or Consulate website for updated procedures, as it may change a little depending on the rules. Visa seekers should be prepared for a longer and more practical process.
India could find thousands of families, students and professional stuck in queues by being in the center of this shift, and they used to be an optional and now an unhappy home.
