The US Secretary of State has extended the waiver for in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visas until December 31, 2023. The Department of State acknowledges the positive impact of foreign students and temporary workers on the US economy and aims to streamline the process by continuing to waive in-person interviews for specific applicants until the specified date.
This waiver covers visa categories such as Temporary Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Workers (H-2 visas), Students (F and M visas), Academic Exchange Visitors (academic J visas), and certain beneficiaries of approved petitions for temporary worker visas.
The Secretary of State, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized these waivers. The permission to waive in-person interviews for applicants renewing a visa in the same category within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration remains in effect until further notice.
These waivers have expedited visa appointments at many embassies and consulates, facilitating more in-person interviews for those who require them. While nearly half of the Department’s seven million nonimmigrant visas issued in Fiscal Year 2022 were approved without an in-person interview, some embassies and consulates may still request in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis, depending on local conditions.
Visa Interview Waiver Extension, US Student Waiver, Worker Waiver Extension, Interview Exemption Update, Visa Process Simplification