PTI

Washington, February 27

The United States has waived in-person interview requirements for many visa applicants, including students and workers, at its diplomatic missions in India until December 31 this year, a senior US diplomat has told reporters. Indian community leaders.

Such applicants eligible for the waiver are students (F, M and academic J visas), workers (H-1, H-2, H-3 and individual L visas), culture and extraordinary ability (O, P visas and Q). ).

“This is essential support for visa applicants. This would be very helpful for our friends and immediate family members and take away a lot of their concerns and remove the inconvenience,” said Ajay Jain Bhutoria, South Asian Community Leader and Advisor to US President Joe Biden for Americans in Asian origin, after his meeting with the assistant secretary. of State for South Central Asia Donal Lu.

Bhutoria had brought up the visa issue when meeting with Lu in California’s Silicon Valley on Friday. Lu said until Dec. 31, the U.S. State Department was authorized to waive in-person interview requirements for certain applicants and their eligible derivatives in various nonimmigrant visa classifications.

To be eligible for the Expanded Interview Waiver Program, applicants for these visa classifications must have previously received any U.S. visa category, have never been denied a U.S. visa, and have no indication of ineligibility or potential ineligibility for the visa. —

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