India, July 28 -- The US Department of State has announced sweeping changes to its visa interview waiver policy, effective September 2, 2025. Under the revised rules, all non-immigrant visa applications, including children under 14 and seniors over 79, will now generally be required to attend an in-person interview with a US consular officer. The update may trigger worry among H-1B workers, students, and exchange visitors since it could increase visa processing times and appointment backlogs.

The new rule, according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) release, applies across non-immigrant visa categories, including: tourist and business visas (B-1/B-2), student visas (F and M), work visas (H-1B), and exchange visitor vis...