Effective immediately, the US Department of State has announced that the Visa Interview Waiver Program is only available to individuals whose visas have expired within the last 12 months.
In 2020, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Department of State extended the eligibility window for individuals using the dropbox process to renew their visas from 12 months to 48 months. People holding non-immigrant visas could use the dropbox process and waive the consular in-person interview requirement for renewals. However, a recent update by the Department of State announced that this would no longer be the case; only visa expirations from within the last 12 months are eligible for dropbox processing.
The eligibility window is not the only change being implemented in the Visa Interview Waiver Program. The visa renewal must also be for the same type of visa that is currently held. In other words, an O-1 visa holder may only utilize the dropbox process to apply for a renewal of the O-1 visa. Additionally, individuals applying for an interview waiver must meet all other criteria for eligibility and must not have refused (or been denied) a visa at a previous time. An in-person interview will therefore be required if any of these criteria are not met.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this change to the Visa Interview Waiver Program, our team is happy to help you.