New Delhi – Indians who have been scheduling U.S. visa interviews in other countries will now be affected by a new global directive from the U.S. State Department. Effective immediately, all non-immigrant visa applicants must attend interviews in their country of citizenship or legal residence.
The policy change affects a common practice used by many Indians to secure faster appointments in nations such as Singapore, Germany, and Thailand, particularly for B1 (business) and B2 (tourism) visas.
Industry experts say that the move will worsen the visa backlog in India, where current wait times range from 3.5 months to nine months.
This development follows closely on the heels of another policy change: the U.S. recently scaled back its Interview Waiver Program, effective September 2, requiring in-person interviews for most non-immigrant visa applicants.