State Department severely restricts visa interview waiver availability for certain visas, effective 9/2/2025

On July 25, 2025, the State Department announced severe restrictions to visa interview waiver availability, effective 9/2/2025. Virtually all nonimmigrant visa applicants will now require an in-person interview with a consular officer, including but not limited to: F-1 students, H-1B professional workers, J-1 exchange visitors, L-1 intracompany transferees, O-1 persons of extraordinary ability, and R-1 religious workers. Please see the DOS announcement here for information on waiver eligibility. 

Consulates may waive interviews on a discretionary basis. However, we anticipate significant visa processing backlogs due to these waiver restrictions combined with consulate closures and consular staff reductions.