The U.S. State Department has terminated the interview waiver program and implemented a "Home Country Only" rule for visa interviews. This means you must now apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy in your country of residence—you can no longer interview remotely or at a post outside your home country.
Immigration & Visas
New "Home Country Only" Rule Ends Interview Waiver for Visa Applicants
Visa applicants can no longer interview remotely; you must now apply in your country of residence.
You can no longer interview for a U.S. visa outside your home country.
This directly affects expats and digital nomads who were using the waiver to interview at a convenient location while living abroad. If you're on a tourist visa and want to adjust status or renew a visa, you'll now need to return to your home country to complete the interview. Plan ahead: check the wait times at your home country's U.S. consulate, gather all required documents before you leave your current location, and file your application well in advance. If you're in a country with limited U.S. diplomatic presence or long consular backlogs, this could significantly delay your visa process.
Source: original report ↗
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