New Delhi: The US State Department has stunned global travellers with a major change in visa process. On September 18, it issued a new directive titled ‘Interview Waiver Update’ that overrides the July 25, 2025. The new rules remove almost all the convenience previously available for many travelers, including foreign workers, students and senior citizens.
Applicants must now apply in their country of nationality or usual residence to even be considered for an interview waiver.
What’s Changing
From October 1, 2025, most visa applicants will lose the ability to skip the in-person interview. Only a narrow category of travellers can still use the Interview Waiver. These include accredited officials, diplomats, B1/B2 tourists and business travellers renewing visas within 12 months of expiration, provided the prior visa was issued for full validity and the applicant was at least 18 years old.
A small addition allows H-2A visa renewals under similar conditions to qualify. The H-2A programme permits U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals for temporary agricultural jobs. Beyond these categories, everyone else will need to appear in person.
Children under 14 and adults over 79 had already lost the waiver benefit in July 2025. Now, international students on F-1 visas, and professionals on H-1B and L-1 visas, must schedule interviews in person at US consulates.
Impact On Students, Workers
Experts warn that this will dramatically increase consulate backlogs. Indian students planning to join US universities this fall may face delays in admission due to appointment shortages. The Congress has already raised concerns, asking the State Department how it intends to handle the mounting visa backlog.
Students and foreign workers should prepare for cancellations, rescheduling or full in-person interviews. The convenience of the Dropbox system, which allowed visa holders to renew without stepping into a consulate, is now gone for most.
What Travellers Need To Know
- Effective October 1, all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including children under 14 and seniors over 79, must attend in-person interviews.
- B1/B2 tourists, business travelers and certain H-2A workers remain eligible for waivers only under strict conditions.
- Those with previous H-1B, L-1 or F-1 visas will need to attend interviews regardless of past approvals.
The US visa system’s long-standing convenience for skilled workers, students and frequent travellers has ended. Applicants are advised to check consulate schedules immediately, anticipate delays and prepare for a return to full in-person interviews.
The State Department’s decision marks one of the most important visa policy reversals in recent years, fundamentally changing how millions of foreign workers, students and families plan their travel to the United States.