New US Visa Regulations: End of ‘Visa Run’ and Home Country Interview Requirement

The United States has implemented stricter regulations for non-immigrant visa (NIV) applicants. Now, individuals must schedule their interview appointments at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country or legal residency. This recent announcement by the State Department takes effect immediately and applies to all categories of non-immigrant visas, including those for students, business travelers, temporary workers, tourists, and fiancé(e)s.

Previously, applicants could travel to other countries with shorter wait times to secure their interviews more promptly. This workaround gained popularity among Indian applicants during the pandemic, when domestic delays often extended to three years.

The End of the “Visa Run” Strategy

With the new rules, Indian travelers can no longer take advantage of booking business (B1) or tourist (B2) visa interviews abroad to circumvent long waiting times at home. During the pandemic, many opted for nearby locations like Bangkok and Singapore, but some even traveled to distant cities such as Frankfurt, Rio de Janeiro, and Chiang Mai.

Just two years ago, the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt even allocated specific NIV interview slots for Indian applicants when B1/B2 waiting periods in India reached 15 to 20 months. Travel agents noted that clients were spending up to 10 days abroad to await passport returns with their newly issued visas.

Now, with the rules in place, Indian applicants must face domestic queues, where the current waiting period for a B1/B2 interview ranges significantly, from three and a half months in Hyderabad and Mumbai to as long as nine months in Chennai.

Exceptions to the Rules

There are few exceptions for nationals from countries where the U.S. does not hold routine NIV operations, often due to political or security reasons. These applicants must attend interviews at designated alternative posts. For example, Russians may go to Astana (Kazakhstan) or Warsaw (Poland), while those from Afghanistan must attend in Islamabad (Pakistan), Iranians in Dubai (UAE), and Venezuelans in Bogotá (Colombia). Other countries affected include Syria (Amman, Jordan) and Zimbabwe (Johannesburg, South Africa).

Tighter Interview Requirements

The rule change coincides with more stringent interview requirements. Starting September 2, the State Department has mandated that all NIV applicants, including children under 14 and seniors over 79, will generally need to appear for in-person interviews with consular officers. Limited exceptions exist for those renewing full-validity B1 or B2 visas that expired within the last 12 months, provided the applicant was at least 18 when the original visa was issued.

Implications for Travelers

This new policy significantly reduces flexibility and may prolong waiting times for applicants in their home countries. However, it does not affect status extensions submitted within the U.S. through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). There are still some waiver categories for diplomats, officials, and select renewals, but the requirements have become considerably stricter.

The recent policy represents a continuation of tighter visa regulations during President Trump’s second administration, impacting one of the largest groups of U.S. visa seekers—Indian applicants. This effectively marks the end of the “visa run” practice overseas in pursuit of faster appointment availability.

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