From September 2, all non-immigrant visa applicants — including students and professionals — must face a consular interview
The United States has officially ended its visa in-person interview waiver programme, effective September 2, 2025. The change, announced by the US Department of State, means applicants for non-immigrant visas — from students to professionals and frequent travelers — will now have to appear for an in-person interview with a consular officer, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
In its July statement, the US Department of State clarified: “All nonimmigrant visa applicants, including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will generally require an in-person interview with a consular officer.”
The end of dropbox renewals will impact thousands of Indians applying for H-1B, L-1, F-1, B-1/B-2, and O-1 visas
This policy shift will significantly affect visa categories such as H-1B (skilled workers), L-1 (intra-company transfers), F-1 (students), B-1/B-2 (business/tourism), and O-1 (extraordinary ability). With the elimination of the dropbox system — which allowed applicants to renew visas without interviews — appointment wait times are expected to rise.
Some categories, however, remain exempt. These include applicants under diplomatic and official visa symbols (A-1, A-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO visas, TECRO E-1), as well as renewals of full-validity B-1/B-2 visas or Border Crossing Cards within 12 months of expiration, provided the applicant was at least 18 at the time of issuance.
The change marks a major shift for Indian students and professionals, who form one of the largest groups of US visa applicants worldwide.
The US Embassy has advised applicants to plan ahead, as the new requirements may extend processing timelines.
