US Ends Visa Interview Waivers; In-Person Checks Begin – All You Need To Know About American Policy Shift | World News
New Delhi: September 2 pointed out a major change in the US visa policy, as the country has officially ended the long -standing waiver for visa interviews. Pursuant to previous regulations, applicants under the age of 14 or 79 did not need to participate in face -to -face negotiations with those who renew their visas in the same category. However, since yesterday, all non -immigrant visa applicants, including students, professionals and frequent travelers, should now participate in an interview in US Embassy and Consulates.
For years, many applicants are exempt from this comprehensive step. However, categories such as H-1B (talented workers), L-1 (in-house transfers), F-1 (students), B-1/b-2 (tourism/work) and O-1 (individuals with extraordinary ability) will see an increase. This will undoubtedly affect thousands of Indian applications every year, most of them are used to skip this process.
What has changed?
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Change affects a wide range of applicants. Previously, visa applicants under the age of 14 or under the age of 79 and those who renewed their visas in the same category were exempted from the requirement of compulsory interviews. But now, they will have to participate in face -to -face negotiations for both new visas and renovations.
The US State Department warned that the new policy will probably increase the waiting time for visa appointments, which may be annoying for delays during processing.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that most non -immigrant visa applicants should attend negotiations as of September 2.
Who is most affected?
New rules will hit certain groups harder than others. Indian students who plan to go to US universities for autumn or spring semester will now have to face the visa interview process that can delay their travel plans.
In addition to the professionals holding H-1B and L-1 visas, tourists and business travelers who are accustomed to the faster “Dropbox” renewal process will now face themselves with longer waiting times for interviews and interviews.
Although countries such as Afghanistan, Nigeria, Cuba and Iran have acted under these new requirements without exemption, India has survived so far. Nevertheless, Indian applicants will now be subject to global meeting and contribute to the global pressure on the US Consular System.
Who is exempted?
Although policy is valid for the vast majority of applicants, there are several important exceptions. In addition to diplomatic and official visa holders, categories of certain international organization workers will still be exempted from negotiations.
In addition, the renewal of the full governor B-1/B-2 visas for Mexican citizens will continue under the old system. However, even in these cases, consular officials may still request interviews on a case basis.
New Rule in 2025
In addition to the changes in the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a new re -planning policy that would enter into force on January 1, 2026.
If applicants need to re -plan their appointments for the second time, they will need to pay the visa fee again. If the applicants update the DS-60 application forms after reserveing the interview, they will need to bring both original and corrected confirmation pages to interview.
What’s next?
As the change in politics now takes action, applicants should be prepared for longer trading times and more documents. The visa interview process is once considered a routine formality for some, and has become a more relevant step for all applicants, regardless of age or visa renewal.
For Indian professionals, students and travelers, the pressure to adapt to these new regulations and to secure their appointments in a crowded system continues.
