From Students to Tourists: Who Will Lose US Visa Interview Waivers This Year?

Synopsis: Starting from September 2, 2025, the U.S. is tightening its visa process. This pulls back most interview waivers and forces thousands of Indian students, professionals, and tourists to attend in-person interviews. But who exactly will be affected, and how will these rules disrupt travel plans and timelines?. Read Here....

Big Change Ahead: Why US Visa Interviews Will Be Harder for Indians from September 2

New US visa interview rules are coming into effect from September 2, 2025. If you are planning to travel to the United States after that date, the process will feel different. The U.S. Department of State is cutting back on interview waivers, which means a lot more people will have to go in person now. This applies not only to first-time applicants but also to many people who are simply renewing their visas.

It feels like they are undoing the relaxed update that came in February earlier this year. For students heading to universities, professionals on H-1B, and families planning holidays, this change is going to matter.

Know what exactly is changing? For most non-immigrant visas, an in-person interview will now be required. The B-1/B-2 tourist and business visa renewals are affected the most. The waiver window that used to be 48 months is being cut down to just 12. That means if your last visa expired more than a year ago, you will have to attend an interview. The previous age exemptions for children under 14 and seniors over 79 are mostly being removed, too. Even student visas (F and M), work visas like H-1B, and exchange visas (J) that sometimes skipped interviews will now almost always require one.

Who falls under this rule? Pretty much everyone in those categories: B-1/B-2 applicants, students, H-1B holders, J exchange visitors, children under 14, seniors over 79, and anyone who ever had a visa refused unless it was overturned later. Even people who qualified for the drop-box system earlier may no longer get it. Some official or diplomatic visa holders might still have waivers, and in very specific cases, a full-validity B-1 or B-2 renewal could qualify. But even then, the consular officer can still ask you to come in.

For Indian travellers, this has some obvious impacts. Wait times are going to stretch because so many more people will need appointments. Students who used to skip interviews under drop-box rules will now have to go in person, which could affect joining dates. H-1B professionals visiting India to renew will have to factor in interview slots, which can make returning to work in the U.S. a bit more complicated. Tourists and business travellers will lose some flexibility since the waiver is now limited to visas that expired within 12 months. Families will feel it too because kids under 14 and older parents will, in most cases, need interviews now. And of course, interviews bring more preparation: documents, biometrics, and travel to the consulate. All of it adds extra time and cost.

So what can you do now? First thing is to check your visa category carefully and find out if you still fall under any waiver at all. If you are a student or someone renewing a work visa, applying early is the safest option.

This change is going to affect a large number of Indian students, working professionals, and even families planning trips.  A bit of preparation now can save you a lot of stress later.