An Indian citizen currently working in the United States on an H1B visa has voiced deep frustration over the challenging visa renewal process, particularly the difficulties in securing appointment slots through the US consulate’s Interview Waiver Program, commonly known as Dropbox.
In a Reddit post shared earlier this month, the frustrated employee described the visa renewal experience as a “nightmare.” “I’ve been hunting for H1B Dropbox visa slots for over a month now, and they just refuse to release anything for India,” he stated. “The few I’ve seen were for random dates like two days from now – seriously, how is anyone living in the US supposed to make that work?! It’s absolutely insane.”
The Dropbox scheme allows applicants to submit their visa renewal documents without attending an in-person interview. All Dropbox submissions for H1B visas in India are processed through the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, although applicants can drop off their documents at any Visa Application Centres across India.
Due to a shortage of available slots, many Indian H1B visa holders must travel back to India for these appointments. However, with slots being released only days in advance, planning travel has become increasingly difficult.
The Reddit user expressed urgent concern, stating, “I need to get stamped before November because I have to travel to India, and this situation is making me so anxious. I can’t just fly there on a whim and hope they’ll release slots the next day.” He characterized the process as “beyond frustrating” and sought advice from fellow Redditors.
The frustration resonated with many users, as several commenters shared similar experiences.
"Am in the same boat. Looking for slots for Nov or Dec, nothing is released. I need to go to India at any cost. Hope they release soon like how they did for oct month," one user commented
Sharing their experience another user commented, "Hi there, I was in the same situation - many of my friends are still and waiting for slots. I observed that the Dropbox visa slot is extremely difficult, and I picked an person to interview. I was able to book my slot in December within a week. I’d suggest changing your Dropbox to in-person if you can. I currently see slots available for in person interview from Nov 18-25 in hyd."
A thrid user commented, "Thousands of people in the same boat.. I’ve been looking since August. They opened Nov and Dec slots in July and a few weeks ago.. hopefully, more will open up, but it's hard to grab them.."