Visa applicants hoping to apply for a visa under the visa interview waiver program, commonly known as the DROP BOX, at American consular posts in India should pause. The rules changed quietly a few days ago and most applicants with pending appointments were not notified. The revised rule to use the Drop Box are that the applicant must have a valid visa or a visa which expired less than one year ago in the same visa category for which they are now seeking a visa. Appointments for in person interviews will experience a huge backlog. Indian citizens should seek to apply for renewal or initial visas in a third country after consulting with experienced visa counsel.

Applicants should review their visa histories and that of their spouses, if applicable, to ensure there are no red flags. Many H-1B employers are flagged in India and unsuspecting applicants will be caught in an unending nightmare.

Previously a visa applicant was eligible for an interview waiver if previously issued a nonimmigrant visa in any category (except tourist) and were applying for a new nonimmigrant visa within 48 months of the expiration of their most recent nonimmigrant visa.

Thus, this policy change has drastically reduced the pool of applicants eligible for the Drop Box and will vastly increase visa delays. It has also been reported that F-1 (student) visa applicants and H-1B visa applicants are experiencing longer administrative processing delays for visa issuance, causing extreme hardship to applicants and their employers.

Please feel free to contact us for an appointment to discuss alternate visa processing with our acclaimed visa processing attorney, Jan Pederson. To schedule an appointment, please contact legalassistant@wcslaw.com.