New Delhi: The United States will scrap the “Dropbox” programme for most visa categories on September 2, 2025. The change affects renewals for H1-B, L1, F1 and O1 visas. Even children under 14 and seniors over 79 will now appear before a consular officer at a U.S. consulate abroad.
Only a few exceptions remain. Some diplomatic and official visa categories, such as A, G, NATO and TECRO still qualify for interview waivers. Limited provisions also exist for certain tourist visa renewals.
Full-validity B-1/B-2 or border-crossing visas can be renewed within 12 months of expiry. The applicant must apply from the home country, have been 18 or older when the visa was issued and have no visa refusal or ineligibility.
The end of interview waivers marks a major shift in U.S. visa policy. In-person interviews will now be standard for nearly all non-immigrant visa renewals. Age, clean travel history or previous eligibility no longer exempt applicants.
The change is already disrupting schedules. Some Dropbox interview slots for August and September have been cancelled. Applicants are being instructed to attend in-person interviews earlier than expected.
U.S. consulates expect heavy demand for interview dates. Wait times are likely to stretch. Travel plans may face delays. Countries with large numbers of affected applicants, including India, could experience the longest backlogs.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also issued a policy update. A visa is now considered “available” for the purposes of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age calculation.
Immigration advocates warn that children of skilled immigrants from countries with the largest green card backlogs, including China and India, could face serious setbacks under the new rules.