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The Trump government is continuing to tighten the visa issuing rules for Indians. In yet another change of visa rule, the short-term visas for the US will henceforth, have longer waiting periods as all non-immigrant visa applicants need to attend interviews only in their country of citizenship or residence. The new rule is applicable for those applying for student, tourism and temporary jobs. The new rule will put an end to a Covid-era flexibility and also add more pressure to India’s overloaded visa system.
According to the new rule, applicants for US non-immigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence, according to a notification issued by the US administration. This means applicants of short-term visas for the US will have longer waiting periods. The rule came into effect immediately.
The new rule is applicable to all non-immigrant visa categories, including those for tourism (B-2), business (B-1), students, and temporary workers. Applicants scheduling their interviews outside their country of nationality or residence could face greater difficulty qualifying for the visa.
The new rule will have a significant impact on Indians who have been applying for visas from a country other than their primary or longest-stay destination, as the process is faster or easier. As Indian applications have been facing long back-log and wait, many Indians have been resorting to this practice, especially after Covid.
The applicants must be able to demonstrate residence in the country where they are applying, if the place of application is based on their residency. The application fee in such cases will neither be refunded nor transferred, the department clarified.
Wait times for non-immigrant interview appointments vary by location. Those applying outside their country of nationality or residence should expect to wait significantly longer for an appointment.
However, existing non-immigrant visa appointments will generally not be cancelled, the department said. Many Indian applicants have been applying from countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Germany, or Brazil for quicker appointments. The visa process has been made more stringent after Donald Trump was voted to power in the US.
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