Department of State extended the authority of consular officers to waive in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visa categories until December 31, 2023. The categories that might be eligible for interview waiver are certain H-2 (temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers) applicants; certain students, professors, research scholars, short-term scholars, or specialists (F, M, and academic J visa applicants); and certain temporary workers who have an individual petition approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (H-1, H-3, H-4, L, O, P, and Q visa applicants) who meet certain conditions, including that they are applying for a visa in their country of nationality or residence. Applicants should be issued any time visa previously and have never been refused a visa unless such refusal was overcome or waived, and who have no apparent ineligibility or potential ineligibility. Additionally, applicants renewing a visa in the same classification within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration are also eligible for an interview waiver. We recommend applicants for checking consulate and embassy websites for further information.
Remzi Guvenc Kulen, Esq.
Kulen Law Firm, P.C.
