The US Department of State has issued a new directive requiring all non-immigrant visa (NIV) applicants to schedule interview appointments only in their country of nationality or legal residence, effective immediately.

The move eliminates the practice of applicants- including thousands of Indians- booking slots in countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Germany to bypass India’s lengthy visa appointment backlogs.

“Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated instructions for non-immigrant visa applicants… they should schedule visa interview appointments at the US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence,” the State Department said in a statement Saturday.

Who is affected?

Indians seeking quicker appointments abroad for B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) visas will no longer be able to do so.

Exceptions apply only in cases where the US does not conduct regular NIV operations, such as for nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Chad, Russia, and Iran, who may apply in a designated third country.

The change is part of a global implementation aimed at standardizing NIV procedures and reducing misuse of third-country appointments.

This restriction may worsen the already growing backlog.

Visa wait times earlier this year varied from 3.5 months in Hyderabad and Mumbai to 5 months in Kolkata, and in Chennai, they reached an astounding nine months.

On September 2, a new rule made it mandatory for all non-immigrant visa applicants to go through in-person interviews after the US Department of State removed the Interview Waiver Program (Dropbox).

This means the majority of applicants will now have to show up at a US Embassy or Consulate, previously exempt from in-person interviews. The affected visas include H, L, F, M, J, E, and O categories, even for individuals over 79 and children under 14.