DOS waives in-person interview requirement for individuals applying for a nonimmigrant visa in the same classification.

August 25, 2020
×Close
On August 25, 2020 Secretary Pompeo, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for individuals applying for a nonimmigrant visa in the same classification.  Previously, only those applicants whose nonimmigrant visa expired within 12 months were eligible for an interview waiver.  The Secretary has temporarily extended the expiration period to 24 months.  This policy is in effect until December 31, 2020.  This change will allow consular officers to continue processing certain nonimmigrant visa applications while limiting the number of applicants who must appear at a consular section, thereby reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission to other applicants and consular staff.  Travelers are encouraged to review the website of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for detailed information on what services are currently available as well as eligibility information and instructions on applying for a visa without an interview. 

Related News

VIEW ALL
New Executive Order banning the entry of certain non-immigrants delayed as the President’s Cabinet Members and Top advisors could not reach a consensus.

  The Trump administration is weighing a significant expansion of current visa restrictions for foreign workers, widening the scope to include the highly skilled workers relied on by industries ranging from tech to healthcare. Several of President Donald Trump’s cabinet members and top advisers met on Tuesday [06/16/2020]  afternoon to discuss a possible executive order […]

Controversial USCIS Memo Draws Major H-1B Lawsuit

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a controversial memo designed to make it difficult (some say “impossible”) for professionals in H-1B status to provide services at the site of their employer’s customers.

Success Story: EB-1a approved in two weeks

Attorney Mika B. Kozar filed an EB-1 Extraordinary Ability Immigrant Petition for one of the most prominent, accomplished, and forward thinking experts in the field of Enterprise Solutions Architecture, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IOT), and Machine Learning.   The self-petitioned beneficiary is well known in the global information technology industry for […]