US visa rule change: Indians must now apply from India, no more third-country options

NEW DELHI: The U.S. has discontinued the practice of allowing visa applications from outside an applicant’s home country. The change affects student (F1), visitor (B1, B2), and work visas (H-1B, O-1). For Indian nationals, this means applications must now be filed exclusively through U.S. consulates in India.

This facility of applying from another country was introduced during the COVID period. Until now, applicants could apply through countries like Singapore, Thailand, Germany, and Brazil.

Currently, the waiting time for U.S. visas is long: up to nine months at the Chennai consulate, five months in Kolkata, and around three months in Mumbai and Hyderabad. The delay is mainly due to the new digital screening protocols at consulates. Many students were making use of the third-country option to save time.

According to the State Department, applications from another country will now be allowed only if there is no U.S. visa office in the applicant’s home country. People who have already started their process abroad will now have to cancel it.

Interviews mandatory

• The exemption from in-person interviews for those under 14 years and above 79 years has also been withdrawn.
• Earlier, visas were issued based on course duration. Now, those pursuing longer courses such as Ph.D. will have to apply for an extension.