US tightens visa rules, ends overseas quick appointments for Indians

The United States has tightened rules for non-immigrant visa applicants, ending a practice that allowed Indian travellers to secure faster interview appointments in third countries, the Economic Times reported.

The US Department of State has clarified that, going forward, applicants for non-immigrant visas must schedule their interviews in their country of citizenship or legal residency. Exceptions will only apply if the United States is not conducting routine non-immigrant visa operations in that country.

The revision removes a critical workaround for Indian applicants. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when US consulates in India faced backlogs stretching to three years, many travellers secured quicker appointments in places such as Dubai, Bangkok or Singapore. That option has now been formally withdrawn.

Non-immigrant visas cover a wide spectrum of categories, including tourism, business, student visas, temporary workers and individuals engaged to marry US citizens. The latest change effectively rolls back a measure introduced to ease pandemic pressure on consular services.

Immigration experts say the move will have wide implications. Gnanamookan Senthurjoti, founder of immigration platform The Visa Code, told News18 that applicants who have filed for student (F-1) or visitor (B1/B2) visas in destinations across Europe, Asia and the Middle East will now be required to reapply in their home country. He added that the rule also applies to some work visa renewals, creating uncertainty for applicants already in the system.

For Indian tourists and business travellers, the new policy complicates trip planning. Analysts note that the ability to book faster appointments abroad was particularly valuable for professionals needing short-notice travel to the United States. The Hindustan Times observed that the revised rules could disrupt both corporate meetings and personal trips, as urgent departures will be harder to arrange.

The change also underlines a broader tightening in US visa policy. Some provisions trace back to measures introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency, when Washington sought to restrict flexibility in visa issuance. While the Biden administration has eased rules in certain categories, officials have left intact reforms aimed at standardising consular practice.

Travel industry executives say the development could affect demand patterns. A senior executive at a Delhi-based travel services firm told the Indian Express that clients now need to begin planning US-bound trips months earlier, as wait times at Indian consulates remain lengthy. “For leisure travel, many families may choose other destinations if they cannot secure appointments in time,” the executive said. “For corporate travellers, it raises the cost of doing business with the US.”

The United States remains one of the top destinations for Indian tourists and students. According to data from the US Department of Commerce, India was the second-largest source of international students in the US in 2024, while over 1.4 million Indians visited for business and leisure.

The tightening of visa appointments adds to the complexity of managing this flow. For students, the timing of appointments is critical to match academic calendars. For companies, the ability to send staff abroad at short notice often underpins trade, investment and cross-border collaboration.

Industry groups say the longer-term impact will depend on whether US consulates in India can reduce backlogs. The State Department has in recent months deployed additional officers to speed up processing. Yet travel consultancies note that demand remains well above pre-pandemic levels, making delays likely to persist.

For travellers, the new reality means planning well in advance. Tourists may need to adjust itineraries, while business travellers could face higher costs and reduced flexibility. As one Mumbai-based consultant told the Times of India: “The US will remain attractive, but Indian applicants will need to prepare earlier and accept less convenience than in the past.”

With no indication that Washington will revisit the policy, the focus will now shift to how quickly US consular services in India can absorb demand. For now, the era of quick overseas visa appointments for Indian travellers appears over.