In a fresh set of visa restrictions under Donald Trump's second presidency, the US State Department has announced that non-immigrant visa (NIV) applicants must now schedule interview appointments in their country of citizenship or legal residence.
"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 department said on Saturday.
The change impacts a wide spectrum of applicants - including those seeking tourism and business visas (B1/B2), students, temporary workers, and even individuals engaged to US citizens.
For Indian students, this means they can no longer turn to neighbouring countries for faster visa slots - an option widely used during the Covid-19 years, when interview wait times in India stretched up to three years.
Currently, official data shows wait times for B1/B2 visas in India range from around three-and-a-half months in Hyderabad and Mumbai to nine months in Chennai.
Though student visas are typically prioritised, agents recall cases where applicants travelled as far as Germany for interview appointments.
Exceptions apply only for applicants from countries where the US does not conduct routine visa operations. For instance, Astana and Warsaw serve as designated locations for Russian nationals, Islamabad for Afghans, and Dubai for Iranians.
On September 2, the State Department also tightened rules by requiring in-person interviews for almost all non-immigrant visa applicants, including those under 14 and above 79 years.
A limited waiver remains in place for "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," according to the department's July 25 update.
