New Delhi: September 2 marked a serious shift in US visa coverage, because the nation formally ended the long-standing waivers for visa interviews. Underneath earlier laws, candidates underneath age 14 or over 79, together with these renewing their visas in the identical class, weren’t required to attend in-person interviews. However from yesterday, all non-immigrant visa candidates, together with college students, professionals and frequent travellers, should now attend an in-person interview at U.S. embassies and consulates.
For years, many candidates have been exempt from this exhaustive step. However with this coverage change, classes like H-1B (expert staff), L-1 (intra-company transfers), F-1 (college students), B-1/B-2 (tourism/enterprise) and O-1 (people with extraordinary means) will see a surge in interview calls for. This may undoubtedly influence hundreds of Indian candidates every year, lots of whom have been used to skipping this course of.
What Has Modified?
The change impacts a variety of candidates. Beforehand, visa candidates underneath 14 years outdated or over 79, in addition to these renewing their visas in the identical class, have been exempt from the obligatory interview requirement. However now, all of them should attend in-person interviews for each new visas and renewals.
The U.S. Division of State has warned that the brand new coverage will seemingly improve wait occasions for visa appointments, a scenario that might show irritating for these already dealing with delays in processing.
In an announcement, the State Division confirmed that almost all non-immigrant visa candidates will probably be required to attend interviews beginning September 2.
Who Is Affected The Most?
The brand new guidelines will hit sure teams tougher than others. Indian college students planning to move to U.S. universities for the autumn or spring semester will now must face the visa interview course of, which may delay their journey plans.
Professionals holding H-1B and L-1 visas, in addition to vacationers and enterprise travellers accustomed to the faster “Dropbox” renewal course of, will now discover themselves dealing with longer wait occasions for appointments and interviews.
Though international locations equivalent to Afghanistan, Nigeria, Cuba and Iran have already been working underneath these new necessities with no exemptions, India had till now been spared. Nonetheless, Indian candidates will now be topic to the worldwide interview requirement, including to the worldwide strain on the U.S. consular system.
Who Is Exempt?
Whereas the coverage applies to the overwhelming majority of candidates, there are a number of notable exceptions. Diplomatic and official visa holders, in addition to sure classes of worldwide organisation staff, will nonetheless be exempt from interviews.
As well as, renewals of full-validity B-1/B-2 visas for Mexican nationals will proceed underneath the outdated system. Even in these circumstances, nonetheless, consular officers can nonetheless request interviews on a case-by-case foundation.
New Rule In 2025
Aside from the interview adjustments, the State Division has introduced a brand new rescheduling coverage, set to take impact on January 1, 2026. Candidates will probably be allowed one free reschedule per visa software.
Ought to candidates must reschedule their appointments a second time, they are going to be required to pay the visa charge once more. If candidates replace their DS-160 software kind after reserving the interview, they might want to convey each the unique and corrected affirmation pages to the interview.
What Is Subsequent?
With the shift in coverage now in movement, candidates should put together for longer processing occasions and extra paperwork. The visa interview course of, as soon as thought of a routine formality for some, has now develop into a extra concerned step for all candidates, no matter age or visa renewal standing.
For Indian professionals, college students and travellers, the strain is on to regulate to those new laws and safe their appointments in an more and more crowded system.