22nd December 2024

US waives in-person interviews for many visa applicants in India. Details here

by | Feb 28, 2022 | Immigration

TCA Camp kids meeting Robin Singh

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The US Department of State, through December 31, is authorised to waive in-person interview requirements for certain applicants and their qualifying derivatives in various non-immigrant visa classifications.

The United States has done away with the requirement of the in-person interview for many visa applicants in India through December 31 this year, a senior American diplomat has reportedly told Indian community leaders.

These applicants eligible for the waiver are students (F, M, and academic J visas), workers (H-1, H-2, H-3, and individual L visas), Culture and extraordinary ability (O, P, and Q visas).

“This is much-needed support to visa applicants. This would be very helpful to our friends and immediate family members and remove a lot of their concerns and remove inconveniences,” Ajay Jain Bhutoria, South Asian Community Leader and US President Joe Biden’s Advisor for Asian Americans, said after his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South Central Asia, Donal Lu, as reported by PTI.

To be eligible for the expanded interview waiver programme, the news agency reported, applicants must have previously been issued any category of US visa; have never been refused a US visa and have no indication of ineligibility or potential visa ineligibility.

To identify such applicants, the US embassy will release more that 20,000 additional waiver (dropbox) appointments for Spring 2022 in New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, the report said.

Like this story? Or have something to share?

Write to us: contact@hindhimalayausa.com

Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter

0 Comments

You May Also Like

US Mission in India hopes to break student visa record

US Mission in India hopes to break student visa record

After issuing a record 62,000 visas to Indian students last year, the US Mission in India hopes to have another record breaking year, according to US consular officials. This year, more than 200,000 Indian students are studying at US academic institutions,...

US steps up visa processing, with special focus on students

US steps up visa processing, with special focus on students

On May 11, Don Heflin, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi went live on Instagram and Facebook to provide an update on visa services with a special focus on students. This is a summary of the information shared with the audience....

H-1B visa holders among highest paid in US

H-1B visa holders among highest paid in US

Contrary to the popular opinion, H-1B visa holders in the United States are among the highest paid workers, new evidence suggests. The median wage of all US workers in 2021 was about $45,000 and the top 10% workers earn a wage of $102,000. Among the top 10% of US wage...

House panel approves bill to remove green card country caps

House panel approves bill to remove green card country caps

As the US House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to remove the discriminatory per country limits on Green Cards and sent it House for the floor vote, activists hailed it as a ‘great day!’ The EAGLE (Equal access to green cards for legal employment) Act seeks to...

India to restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals

India to restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals

The Government of India announced that they will restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals with immediate effect, Consulate General of India in Chicago said in a press release on Tuesday. The press release stated that the fresh issue of regular (papers)...

US reopens investment route for green cards

US reopens investment route for green cards

Rich Indians looking for ways to get a US green card or permanent residence permit have the investment route reopened with the US Congress reviving the EB-5 Regional Center Program. President Joe Biden signed into law on March 11 the appropriations legislation passed...

India to resume scheduled international flights from March 27

India to resume scheduled international flights from March 27

India said on Tuesday it will resume scheduled commercial flight operations to international destinations from March 27, restarting unrestricted travel after two years and for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. "After having recognised the increased...

Legislation introduced in US Senate to reform H-1B, L-1 visa system

Legislation introduced in US Senate to reform H-1B, L-1 visa system

The legislation “to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs” was introduced in the Senate Tuesday by Senate Democratic Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican Ranking Member of the...

US Mission in India hopes to break student visa record

US Mission in India hopes to break student visa record

After issuing a record 62,000 visas to Indian students last year, the US Mission in India hopes to have another record breaking year, according to US consular officials. This year, more than 200,000 Indian students are studying at US academic institutions,...

US steps up visa processing, with special focus on students

US steps up visa processing, with special focus on students

On May 11, Don Heflin, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi went live on Instagram and Facebook to provide an update on visa services with a special focus on students. This is a summary of the information shared with the audience....

H-1B visa holders among highest paid in US

H-1B visa holders among highest paid in US

Contrary to the popular opinion, H-1B visa holders in the United States are among the highest paid workers, new evidence suggests. The median wage of all US workers in 2021 was about $45,000 and the top 10% workers earn a wage of $102,000. Among the top 10% of US wage...

House panel approves bill to remove green card country caps

House panel approves bill to remove green card country caps

As the US House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to remove the discriminatory per country limits on Green Cards and sent it House for the floor vote, activists hailed it as a ‘great day!’ The EAGLE (Equal access to green cards for legal employment) Act seeks to...

India to restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals

India to restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals

The Government of India announced that they will restore some old, valid tourist visas for US nationals with immediate effect, Consulate General of India in Chicago said in a press release on Tuesday. The press release stated that the fresh issue of regular (papers)...

US reopens investment route for green cards

US reopens investment route for green cards

Rich Indians looking for ways to get a US green card or permanent residence permit have the investment route reopened with the US Congress reviving the EB-5 Regional Center Program. President Joe Biden signed into law on March 11 the appropriations legislation passed...

India to resume scheduled international flights from March 27

India to resume scheduled international flights from March 27

India said on Tuesday it will resume scheduled commercial flight operations to international destinations from March 27, restarting unrestricted travel after two years and for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. "After having recognised the increased...

Legislation introduced in US Senate to reform H-1B, L-1 visa system

Legislation introduced in US Senate to reform H-1B, L-1 visa system

The legislation “to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs” was introduced in the Senate Tuesday by Senate Democratic Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican Ranking Member of the...