H-1B, F-1 Visa Applicants Must Attend Embassy Interviews Starting September 2025

The US Department of State will require most nonimmigrant visa applicants to attend in-person interviews starting 2 September 2025, ending many of the pandemic-era exemptions for interview waivers.

The new rules remove previous exemptions for children under 14 and seniors over 79, requiring them to appear at US embassies or consulates for visa interviews. This narrows the scope of the Visa Interview Waiver programme, known as the “Dropbox,” which allowed certain applicants to renew visas without in-person appointments.

Some exceptions remain. Diplomats and officials with A-1, A-2, and C-3 visas (excluding domestic staff) are still exempt, as are certain B-1/B-2 visa holders renewing full-validity visas within 12 months of expiry, provided they were at least 18 when their last visa was issued. 

Applicants must apply from their country of nationality or residence and have no history of visa refusal or grounds for ineligibility. The policy change also rescinds a recent waiver for H-1B workers and F-1 students whose visas expired within the last year, reinstating the requirement for interviews. 

While consular officers may still waive interviews in exceptional cases, in-person interviews are now expected as the norm. Alongside these procedural changes, visa application fees for categories such as business, tourism, student, and transit visas will increase by over 148 percent, raising the standard fee from $185 to a significantly higher amount.

Officials describe the changes as part of a return to pre-pandemic visa protocols aimed at enhancing security. Applicants should prepare for possible delays and the need to attend interviews in person, even if they previously qualified for waivers. The adjustments may particularly affect those in areas with limited consular access or high travel costs.