We are receiving many questions about eligibility for visa interview waivers, particularly about the use of the Dropbox system at the US Embassies and Consulates.
Yesterday, the State Department confirmed a much narrower interview waiver policy than what has been in place for several years. The announcement may be found at this link: Interview Waiver Update.
To be eligible for an interview waiver, which includes the Dropbox in India,
-an applicant must be applying in the same category of his/her previously issued visa*, and
-their old visa must have expired within the 12 months prior to application.
*In other words, first time applicants must be interviewed. This includes those on OPT that have not had an H1B visa stamp issued since being selected in the lottery.
Applicants must also
- apply in their country of nationality or residence;
- have never been refused a visa (unless such refusal was overcome or waived; and
- have no apparent or potential ineligibility.
We are hearing that those with already scheduled Dropbox appointments in India, and who previously qualified for interview waiver in other countries, are being turned away and told to schedule in-person interview appointments. This change will significantly increase the appointment wait times for visa stamping interviews so visa applicants outside the US should be prepared for delays. We are hearing, unofficially, that it may take 48 hours or more after being told to reschedule for the system to allow applicants to schedule an interview.
Those still in the US scheduling appointments should plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, the State Department has removed the Visa Wait Times tool from its website and replaced it with a more general page showing wait times globally. The new page is not updated as frequently as the old site was, so it is hard to know with any certainty how long it will take to get an appointment in any particular location. Global Visa Wait Times
This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we will continue to update as the situation warrants.