US tightens rules for non-immigrant visas, no more interview appointments abroad
Representative image Photograph: (PTI)
When travel resumed post-COVID-19 in 2021, Indians used to travel to nearby countries and at times even distant ones like Germany for B1/B2 interviews since the waiting time back home was as high as three years due to a massive backlog of applications.
The United States has tightened visa rules, ending the option for quick appointments abroad for Indian travellers. The move signals stricter immigration enforcement under the current administration. Now, individuals applying for US non-immigrant visas (NIV) must schedule their interview appointments in their country of citizenship or legal residence, except for some locations where the US is not currently offering regular NIV services. The new regulation implies that Indians who need to travel to the US on short notice will no longer be able to book a quick B1 (business)/B2 (tourist) appointment date abroad—something they used to do during Covid-19 when the waiting time back home was as high as three years due to a massive backlog of applications—if a similar situation emerges here again.
Non-immigrant visas include the ones issued for tourism, business, to students, temporary workers, and those engaged to marry US citizens. This is the latest change in visa rules by the Trump administration.
“Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated instructions for non-immigrant visa applicants... (they) should schedule visa interview appointments at the US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence,” said the US State Department on Saturday.
As of now, the wait time for B1/B2 interview in India is three and a half months in Hyderabad and Mumbai; four and a half months in Delhi; five months in Kolkata; and nine months in Chennai, as per the US State Department.
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Indians even travelled to Germany for early B1/B2 interviews
Top travel agents recalled that after travel resumed post-COVID-19 in 2021, Indians used to travel to nearby countries and at times even distant ones like Germany for B1/B2 interviews. Around two years ago, the US consulate in Frankfurt had reserved non-immigrant visa (NIV) interview slots specifically for Indian applicants, as the wait time for B1/B2 visa interviews in India at the time was 15 to 20 months.
“Indians travelled to Bangkok, Singapore, and even Frankfurt for B1/B2 interviews. They would stay there for a week to 10 days, get their passport back from the US consulates there and return to India. We have seen H-1B applicants go to places such as Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) as well as Chiang Mai (Thailand)," said a travel agent who did not wish to be named.
Now, the NIV interview location rule has been changed with immediate effect. The exception is for “nationals of countries where the US government is not conducting routine NIV operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere”, said the State Department. For example, the designated interview locations for Russia are Astana and Warsaw, Islamabad for Afghanistan, and Dubai for Iran.
President Donald Trump has been tightening visa rules in his second term in the White House.
From last Tuesday (Sept 2), all non-immigrant 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,” barring a few exceptions, the US State Department shared in a July 25 update.
This exception includes “applicants renewing a full validity B-1, B-2, B1/B2 visa... within 12 months of the prior visa’s expiration and who were at least 18 years old at the time of the prior visa’s issuance.”
