Indian travellers planning to renew US visas may now face a fresh challenge. The U.S. Department of State has abruptly reduced the eligibility window for visa interview waivers (dropbox) from 48 months to just 12 months, creating complications for thousands of Indian applicants.
The recent change, which takes effect right away, will affect nonimmigrant visa holders, such as those with H-1B and B1/B2 visas. These individuals had previously enjoyed more lenient rules that were established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the dropbox eligibility is limited to applicants renewing a visa in the same nonimmigrant classification that expired within the past 12 months, according to American daily The National Law Review.
Even though there has been no official announcement regarding the change, the Visa Application Centers (VACs) have already started turning away applicants who no longer meet the new criteria.
Previously, applicants could renew their visa using the dropbox process if their prior visa had expired within the past 48 months—an expanded policy introduced during the pandemic to reduce consular backlogs. The sudden rollback now means many must appear for in-person interviews, further straining the system.
This change could have significant implications for H-1B, L-1, O-1, and other nonimmigrant visa holders, who will now face delays and risk missing essential travel plans, according to The National Law Review.
What has changed?
Applicants must now renew a visa in the same category that expired within the past 12 months to qualify for dropbox processing. Applicants who do not meet these criteria must schedule an in-person interview, leading to:
Why the policy change?
The rollback comes as U.S. visa demand remains at an all-time high. The U.S. Department of State noted a record 1.76 million Indians travelled to the U.S. in 2023 despite ongoing visa challenges.
In 2022, B1/B2 visa appointment wait times in India had surpassed 999 days, prompting the 48-month dropbox extension. That backlog is far from resolved, with current wait times already over a year in most major cities.
What can applicants do?