New policy takes effect from September 2, 2025, revoking interview waivers for applicants under 14 and over 79
In a significant policy update, the US Department of State has announced that most applicants for US non-immigrant visas, including children under 14 and individuals over 79, will now be required to attend in-person visa interviews. This change will be effective from September 2, 2025, and marks a departure from the long-standing visa waiver policy for these age groups, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
According to the notification released on July 25, the revised policy aims to strengthen visa screening protocols, particularly for short-term travel and business categories. “All nonimmigrant visa applicants, including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will generally require an in-person interview,” the official statement noted.
The US ends visa interview waivers for most applicants under 14 and over 79, starting September 2, 2025
However, some categories remain exempt from this rule. These include:
- Applicants under visa classes A-1, A-2, C-3 (excluding personal staff), G-1 to G-4, and NATO-1 to NATO-6
- Diplomatic or official visa applicants
- Individuals renewing a full-validity B-1, B-2, or B1/B2 visa or a Border Crossing Card (for Mexican nationals) within 12 months of the previous visa’s expiry, provided they were at least 18 years old at the time of the previous issuance
This move suggests a broader tightening of US visa procedures, placing more emphasis on direct, face-to-face assessments even for previously exempt demographics.
