The United States Consular websites have been updated to include the revised eligibility requirements for Visa Interview Waiver (dropbox) appointments, which were applied before COVID-19.
Under the new changes that have already taken effect, Dropbox eligibility is only available to applicants renewing a visa in the same nonimmigrant classification that expired within the last 12 months, instead of 48 months, VisaGuide.World reports.
A Dropbox or a Visa Interview Waiver excludes specific visa applicants from the in-person interview requirement. Therefore, they can only submit their visa applications and biometrics and biometrics at a Visa Application Center.
Applicants who do not meet these requirements are reportedly being rejected by Visa Application Centers, in spite of the fact that no official announcement in this regard has been made.
Until the new changes took effect, applicants were eligible for Dropbox provided their nonimmigrant visa had expired within the past 48 months, regardless of the category of their visa. For example, F-1 students in the US who changed to an H-1B visa were eligible to use the Dropbox process.
The 48-month eligibility period took effect during the Coronavirus pandemic in order to help reduce consular backlogs and it was set to remain effective for an indefinite period of time.
Under the new changes, only those whose prior visas in the same visa category have expired in the last 12 months are subject to Dropbox processing.
Applicants who do not meet the needed requirements are required to reschedule for an in-person visa interview otherwise risk being turned away or be subject to processing delays.
Several Visa Categories to Be Affected
According to local media reports, the new changes there will affect several visa categories, among them H-1B, O-1, and L-1.
The new changes could lead to increased demand for in-person visa appointments, and long waiting times and potentially lead to travel disruptions for those who had planned to renew their visa by using the Dropbox process.
Following the new changes, applicants are required to confirm their eligibility before their appointment. If their visa expired over 12 months ago or if they plan to apply for a different category, they may be subject to an in-person interview.
The new changes are expected