US Revises Non-Immigrant Visa Interview Waiver Policy

• U.S. updates visa interview waiver policy, effective October 1, 2025.
• Waivers for diplomatic, B-1/B-2, H-2A renewals within 12 months.
• Most applicants, including under 14/over 79, now require interviews.

The U.S. Department of State announced a non-immigrant visa interview waiver policy update, effective October 1, 2025. The updated policy requires most applicants for non-immigrant visas, including both people under the age of 14 and those over the age of 79, to have an in-person interview, unless they fall under one of the listed categories.

In order to qualify, applicants must apply in the country(ies) of their nationality or residence, except for those holding an official or diplomatic visa. They must not have any prior refusals of a visa unless the refusal has been overcome, and they must not be ineligible for a visa for any other reason.

In the future, consular officers may still determine that the applicant needs to appear for an interview on a case-by-case basis. This policy replaces a more permissive exemption policy in the U.S. Department of State's announcement on July 25, 2023, which had similar age exemptions but was not as restrictive.

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Applicants should check the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate for specific details about requirements, procedures, and services, as this change reflects streamlined processing of non-immigrant visas given high demand for non-immigrant visas – over 1 million people from India were issued a non-immigrant visa in 2023, which reflects India's significant share of all visa applicants coming to the U.S.

Eligible for waivers are:

- Applicants under visa symbols A-1, A-2, C-3 (except attendants, servants, or personal employees), G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6, or TECRO E-1, and those applying for diplomatic/official visas.

- Applicants renewing B-1, B-2, B1/B2 visas, or Border Crossing Card/Foil (BBBCC/BBBCV for Mexicans) within 12 months of prior visa expiration, provided the visa was issued for full validity and the applicant was at least 18 at issuance.

- Applicants renewing H-2A visas within 12 months of prior full-validity visa expiration, with the applicant at least 18 at issuance.