NEW DELHI: Applicants for US non-immigrant visas (NIV) will now need to schedule their interview appointments in their country of citizenship or legal residency, barring a few exceptions for places where Uncle Sam is not conducting routine NIV operations.
This means Indians requiring to travel to America at a 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 wait times back home was as high as three years due to massive backlog of applications - if and when a similar situation emerges here again.
NIVs include those issued for tourism, business, to students, temporary workers, and those engaged to marry US citizens. This is the latest in a series of changes made by the Trump regime to visa rules.
"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," the state dept said Saturday. This applies worldwide.
The wait time for a B1/B2 interview in India as of now 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, according to the state dept website.
Leading travel agents recalled Indians used to travel to not only nearby countries but even distant ones like Germany for B1/B2 interviews from 2021 when travel resumed post Covid-19. Two years ago, the US consulate in Frankfurt had set aside NIV interview appointments "specifically for Indian applicants" as interview wait period for B1/B2 visas in India that time was 15-20 months.
"Indians would travel 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 leading travel agent who did not wish to be named.
Now, with immediate effect, the NIV interview location rule has been changed. The exception: "nationals of countries where the US govt is not conducting routine NIV operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere", said the state department. For instance, the designated locations for Russia are Astana and Warsaw, Islamabad for Afghanistan, and Dubai for Iran.
In his second presidency, Donald Trump has been tightening visa rules.
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 dept said 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."
This means Indians requiring to travel to America at a 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 wait times back home was as high as three years due to massive backlog of applications - if and when a similar situation emerges here again.
NIVs include those issued for tourism, business, to students, temporary workers, and those engaged to marry US citizens. This is the latest in a series of changes made by the Trump regime to visa rules.
"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," the state dept said Saturday. This applies worldwide.
The wait time for a B1/B2 interview in India as of now 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, according to the state dept website.
"Indians would travel 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 leading travel agent who did not wish to be named.
Now, with immediate effect, the NIV interview location rule has been changed. The exception: "nationals of countries where the US govt is not conducting routine NIV operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere", said the state department. For instance, the designated locations for Russia are Astana and Warsaw, Islamabad for Afghanistan, and Dubai for Iran.
In his second presidency, Donald Trump has been tightening visa rules.
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 dept said 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."
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