The Department of State announced it is restricting the eligibility for visa interview waiver appointments (commonly known as dropbox). To remain eligible for dropbox, applicants must be applying for a visa in the same category and their prior visa must have expired less than 12 months before their new application.
Under the Biden administration, the visa waiver program was expanded to allow most visa renewal applicants whose prior visa expired within 48 months to forego the formal interview and instead submit their documentation to the consulate, expediting the process. Further, this policy allowed the applicant to request a visa in a different category using dropbox.
Applicants can expect the new policy will delay visa processing. It will limit the number of appointments available, while increasing wait times. This will be especially true at Posts that continue to dig themselves out of COVID backlogs, or process a significant volume of visa requests, such as China and India.
Anyone requiring a visa and/or visa renewal to be admitted to the United States will need to plan ahead. Expect delays and limited availability. Do not wait to submit your DS-160 application or assume you will qualify for an expedited visa appointment.
