No visa interview appointments in other countries, US changes rules; what does it mean for Indians?

Hyderabad: An applicant for a US Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) can no longer be able to book a visa interview appointment from a different country.

In a series of changes, the US Department of State announced that applicants for NIV interviews will now need to be scheduled in the country of citizenship or legal residency.

This means Indian applicants who applied for a NIV Visa will no longer be able to book a quick B1 (Business) or B2 ( tourist) appointment outside India or other than their legal residency.

As the wait for a US Visa interview is as long as 3-4 months across Indian cities, many Indians would travel to Dubai, Singapore, and Thailand to book their US Visa interviews. Applicants would get an interview slot in 10-15 days, against the 3-9-month wait in India.

However, now with the new rule, this can’t be the case.

This would not only extend the waiting period for applicants to face the interview but also put an end to appointments outside India or their respective legal residency.

NIV includes visas issued for tourism, business, to students, temporary workers, and those engaged to marry US citizens.

NewsMeter produces the full statement for better understanding

Applicants should note the following:

Residence Requirement: Applicants must be able to demonstrate residence in the country where they are applying, if the place of application is based on their residency.

Fees: Applicants who schedule non-immigrant interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of their country of nationality or residence might find that it will be more difficult to qualify for the visa. Fees paid for such applications will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.

Appointment Availability: Wait times for non-immigrant interview appointments vary by location. Applicants applying outside their country of nationality or residence should expect to wait significantly longer for an appointment.

Existing Appointments: Existing non-immigrant visa appointments will generally not be cancelled.

Exceptions: This guidance does not apply to applicants for A, G, C-2, C-3, NATO visas, applicants for diplomatic-type or official-type visas (regardless of classification), or applicants for any visa for travel covered by the UN Headquarters Agreement. Rare exceptions may also be made for humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.

Applicants should check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about visa application requirements and procedures, and to learn more about the embassy or consulate’s operating status and services.

This supersedes previous guidance on visa application requirements, including designated visa processing locations.

Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments:

Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.

Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere. See the list below to determine the designated location for NIV applications.