E-Paper
Big US crackdown on visa hacks: NIV interviews now must in country of residence
US nonimmigrant visa applicants will now have to schedule their interview appointments at US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
The US department of state has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments, making interview appointment scheduling mandatory in country of residence. This means Indians planning to travel to the US at a short notice will no longer be able to book a quick B1 (business)/B2 (tourist) appointment date from another country.
Applicants for US nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence, an update dated September 6 reads on US state department's website.
“Nationals of countries where the US government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence,” the notice reads.
Existing nonimmigrant visa appointments will generally not be cancelled, the US state department said.
Earlier Indians requiring to travel to America could book quick B1 or B2 appointment date abroad, an allowance that came into effect during Covid-19 when the wait times back home surged up to three years due to the massive backlog of applications.
NIVs include those visas that are issued for tourism, business, to students, temporary workers, and also to those engaged to marry US citizens.
The average wait time for next available B1/B2 appointment interview in India is five months in Delhi, four months in Mumbai, five-and-a-half months in Kolkata, three-and-a-half in Hyderabad and nine months in Chennai, according to the state dept website.
Recalling post-pandemic days, travel agents said Indians used to go to not only nearby countries but even distant ones like Germany for B1/B2 interviews from 2021 when travel resumed post Covid-19.
"Indians would travel to Bangkok, Singapore and even Frankfurt for B1/B2 interviews. They would stay there for a week to 10 days, get their passport back from the US consulates there and return to India. We have seen H-1B applicants go to places such as Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) as well as Chiang Mai [Thailand]," a Times of India report quoted a leading travel agent who requested anonymity.
