US Adjusts: The United States Department of State has recently modified the non-immigrant visa interview waiver system, impacting eligibility criteria, particularly for student visa categories.
This adjustment, effective as of 1st of January, follows a decision by the Secretary of State in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security. The alterations identify specific interview waiver categories as national interest, with these waivers remaining in effect until further notice, depending on annual reviews.
US Adjusts Non-Immigrants
The revised guidelines stipulate that non-immigrant visa applicants, including those applying for student visas, may be eligible for a visa interview waiver if they were previously issued a non-immigrant visa except for a B visa and are submitting their application within 4 years of the expiration of their last visa.
Notably, in late 2021, the U.S. Department of State had initially empowered consular officers to waive interviews for select non-immigrant visa applicants with a prior visa history.
However, the recent changes have discontinued interview waivers for first-time applicants from countries eligible for the U.S. visa-waiver program. Consular officers may still exercise discretion to mandate in-person interviews either on a case-by-case basis or due to local conditions. This dynamic approach aims to balance security considerations with the need for efficiency in the visa application process.
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