In the last few days, there has been so much confusion regarding the US Visa Dropbox/ Interview waiver eligibility rules change across many US consulates and US embassies in a few countries like India, Australia, etc. Many applicants faced issues at the US Consulate/Dropbox locations during their visa appointments.
There was no official announcement made by the US Department of State or US Consulates/ Embassies, until February 18th, 2025, regarding the change in the Dropbox or interview waiver eligibility criteria. They made an abrupt decision on February 10th, 2025 and changed it overnight. Many applicants were scrambled and ended up in a difficult situation with their travels due to this appointment eligblity criteria changes.
In this article, we will review the changes and share the official confirmation from the USVisaScheduling Website’s actual questionnaire on the changes and who all it impacts like H1B, F1, Change of Status applicants, and others, even though there is no proper official announcement and also guidance given by them in an email reply from them.
Background: US Visa Interview Waiver/ Dropbox Rules in Years 2020 to 2025
- In the year 2020, for the Dropbox/ interview waiver cases, the US Dept. of State, to help the situation and avoid public risk, increased the “12 months from expiry” requirement to “24 months from the expiry of the previous visa” for US visa renewals until March 31, 2021.
- In March 2021, they released a press note indicating the expansion of dropbox visa stamping eligibility from “24 months from visa expiry” to “48 months from expiry” until Dec 31, 2021.
- They subsequently extended the “48-months from expiry” for 2022 and 2023. They also added new provisions and extended it for 2024 and beyond. You can read full details at US Visa Interview Waiver Options Extended for 2024 & Beyond.
- You may read the full history at US Visa Dropbox News History with Changes
Trump Administration Changes to Immigration, Extreme Vetting
After the Trump Administration took office in late January 2025, many executive orders signed by President Trump related to immigration and national interest. As part of that, the US Department of State was also asked to review its processes and implement extreme vetting.
The US Department of State abruptly changed the US Visa Waiver/ Dropbox eligibility criteria rules in India, Australia, and other countries without proper announcement to the public. Many applicants were stuck at the consulate as they did not know about the change and had to go back as well.
Let’s look at the changes and how they appear in the online system of USVisaScheduling.com
You can watch the Video Summary of this article on YouTube at: Changes to Dropbox Eligibility – 12 months, Same Category.
US Visa Dropbox Eligibility Changes in India: Reduced to 12 months
Until February 18th, 2025, there was no official press release from any of the US Consular posts like the US Embassy India, US Embassy Australia, USTravelDocs India, or any other US Consulate. Also, no alerts on the US Visa Scheduling website.
The US Dept of State announced a press release confirming the 12-month reduced change and others that were automatically reflected in the system. You can read at New US Visa Dropbox Rules by US Dept of State News.
Below are the list of changes based on how various screens appear in the USVisaScheduling.com website’s online questionnaire for Dropbox. We have included screenshots for more clarity.
For Dropbox, the previous US Visa has to be in the same category
In the past, if you were applying for H1B, H4, L1, or other US visas and you already had any US Visa issued in the past (except B1/B2), you were eligible for an interview waiver.
Now, with the new change, you are eligible for Dropbox or interview waiver only if your previous visa was in the same category. For instance, to be eligible for H1B Dropbox, you must have had an H1B visa in the past.
Example: In the past, if you had an F1 visa issued, you could have applied for first time H1B stamping using dropbox. Now, with the new changes, you are not eligible for dropbox as the question clearly asks the previous visa type during the questionnaire and asks for H1B only.
Below is the screenshot of the question on USVisaScheduling.com website comparing past two questions for H1B Visa renewal with the applicant having a past F1 visa. The new visa question mentions the specific visa type saying “previous H-1B Visa”.
For renewal, the previous US Visa should have expired within12 months
In the past, if you were renewing the same visa type, especially for B1/B2 visa or other non-immigrant visas, you were eligible for dropbox if your visa expired in the past 48 months.
Now, with the new change, your previous visa should have expired within the last 12 months. Also, in addition to this, you need to be renewing the visa in the same category as described above.
Below is the screenshot of the question on USVisaScheduling.com website comparing past and new visa question that captures the 12 months
Below is the screenshot of the US Department of State Press release that came in on February 18th, 2025, confirming the changes
Official USTravelDocs Websites show 12 months
The USTravelDocs websites are updated for most of the countries where this change has happened. Below are examples from USTravelDocs website for India and Australia. You must check the relevant USTravelDocs website for your country to verify the same.
Below is the screenshot of the updated web page of USTravelDocs India Website that reflects both the changes we discussed above, that dropbox is for same category of visa and should have expired in the last 12 months.
Below is the screenshot of USTravelDocs Australia Questionnaire Form that reflects both the changes we discussed above, that dropbox is for same category of visa and should have expired in the last 12 months.
Official Response from the Support Regarding Change
When some users/attorneys reached out to USTravelDocs Support, they were given a template response indicating the change and saying that users must redo the questionnaire if they have an appointment on or after February 10th. While they do not explicitly share the changes, they suggest you must be eligible for dropbox at the time of the interview.
Below is the screenshot of the standard response given by the USTravelDocs Support team. Credit to Attorney Emily Neuman for sharing this on her Twitter. Thanks to her for sharing it with the community.
Users can re-do the questionnaire and Book an Appointment
As per the community feedback, users were able to cancel the Dropbox appointment and book an appointment without paying any extra fee. You may have to wait for 24 hours, if you went to appointment and were sent back to be able to book appointment.
What has been your experience with the new change in dropbox rules? Share your experiences, questions in the comments section below.
My visa expired in June 2024, if I book the appointment today (March 2025) for July 2025, should I for for in person interview or am I eligible for interview waiver?
The visa interview waiver question was not clear to my situation.
Hi, I have reschedule appointment for dropbox for jun-25 from Apr25 with new rules but my application was submitted back in Nov-24, Do i need to close application and restart. One call center person said i need close and start and other call center person said not required from ustraveldocs. This is confusing.
Hi,
i am H4 and now i got apporved h1b in december 2024 ,can i go for dropbox?
If previously stamped H1-B expired 23-April-2024, can someone go for dropbox on let’s say 01-April-2025?
Hi – thanks for sharing.
Does the H1B interview waiver still apply if there is employer switch and meeting other criterias?
Regards,
Naresh
Hello, I have a question about the eligibility criteria. My ds2019 for J1 visa says ‘Alien physician; Research scholar’ in the program description section and just ‘Alien physician’ in the exchange visitor category section. I see that the eligibility criteria includes only research scholar and not alien physician so I’m confused as to which section of the ds2019 to trust. Can you please help me with this? Thank you very much!
HI,
I Have already scheduled drop box appointment for H4 , I had booked my appointment before the rule change from 48 months to 12 months. My visa was expired in September 8 2023. My Dropbox appointment date is April 2 2025. Am I still eligible for drop box? if not , how to book personal interview and biometric appointment .pls advise.
Ritu,
You need to cancel and re-book as your visa expired over an year ago. Follow the steps and re-do the questionnaire. You can see the above article for more guidance on it and call customer service, if you are unclear.
Thank you so much
Hello. My F1 visa was updated to H1B updated last October. Initially, I had booked a dropbox appointment. But after the updated changes from USCIS, it turns out I am not eligible for dropbox anymore, and will have to go through an in person interview and biometric appointment. I am planning to travel to India in April. We had an appointment on April 23. I just went to the reschedule booking option but I do not see any open slots for Hyderabad consulate. Am I looking at the correct screen? Is the dropbox appointment screen different than interview appointment screen ?
AAK,
You are, just the slots are very minimal and can be tricky to get. The screens are same, just that for in-person you will get two screens, first to book the biometrics at OFC and then the actual interview appointment.
Kumar,
Interview Waiver update is officially posted on website on 2/18 –
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/interview-waiver-update-feb-18-2025.html
You may refer to this URL in your article if it’s going to help the community
Thanks
KBP,
Thanks a lot for sharing, yes, it will.
Hi, My visa in passport expired on 30 SEP 2023 and my employer applied for an extension and got I-797 approved till 30 SEP 2026. I changed my employer in May 2024 and the transfer application got approved till May 2027. As my Visa on my passport expired in 2023, Am I eligible for interview wavier or dropbox?
Your answers will be helpful.
Shiva,
You wont be as your visa expired in Sep 2023 and it is more than a year.
My H4 expired on August-22-2024 and have my new I797 extended till 2027 and I have my drop box appointment for May-15-2025. Do I need to reschedule my appointment as I have already booked it in December 2024.
In my US Visa Scheduling Portal I don’t see close/start application option.
Please advise
Hello,
I am in the same boat. I booked my Dropbox appointment for April 2025 as the form did not reflect the changes when I filled out my application (before 10 Feb 25). When I checked in the last two days, I didn’t see an option to change my application to book an interview appointment, as I don’t qualify for the Dropbox with the new criteria (F1 to H1B visa).
Thanks
I think you are good as far my experience. I did scheduled before the new rules but dropped it after the 12 month rule and no questions been asked. But yes who are above 12 months of expiry and Visa conversations from F to H even though having less than 12 months of expiry are asked to reschedule
But if you have time I would recommend calling the consulate toll free once to get the needed assistance
Thanks
you are within that 12 month timeframe so you are good. no need to worry
Thanks
Hi,
I came to USA on May 2022 and had my visa stamped till Sep 2024 . I have submitted for extension and got extended till 2027 April .
I am eligible for drobox only if I go before Sep 2025 ?
yes
I submitted my documents on February 10th. Staus says received on February 11th What will happen in my case?
I have H4 EAD valid till September 2026. But I got H1b and I have change of status. I got interview waiver when I scheduled during Dec 2024 before this rule came in . Do I need to apply again?
Any one with same case?
I booked a Dropbox appointment for f1 to h1b change (which is tomorrow 18 feb 2025) in dec 2024. Will I need to cancel my dropbox appointment?
My previous visa stamping expired in 2023, but I filed for an amendment in the meantime, which extended my visa expiration to October 2024. Am I eligible for Dropbox?
no you are not. since your visa expired in in 2023 its more than the 12 months timeframe . please schedule in person interview
Hi, I have a question on the new rules. My H1b visa in passport is valid till Oct 2025 , got the stamping in 2023 but I changed my employer last year and have a Dropbox appointment in April. Am I still eligible for drop box?
Nidhi,
Yes, you should be. Changing employer has no impact.
That’s what I was thinking. Thanks for confirming.
Hello,
I had booked my appointment before the rule change from 48 months to 12 months. However, my previous visa expired less than 12 months ago, and I am applying in the same visa class.
Do I need to cancel my appointment and book a new drop box appointment ?
Thanks
SimpleGuy,
You should be fine as it qualifies under the new rule as well. To be sure, email the support and get it confirmed. Please update here for community benefit.
Thanks Kumar. It seems that US Visa Service Desk is replying to all the queries with a default template.
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding your eligibility for an interview waiver for a U.S. visa.
The criteria for Interview Waiver applications have changed, effective February 12, 2025. Please review the updated criteria here: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/renew-visa#waive-my-interview.
If you have not yet scheduled an Interview Waiver appointment, please check the new criteria before submitting your application. If you do not qualify, please schedule your biometric and consular appointment for a personal visa interview.
If you answered the IW questionnaire on or before February 10, 2025, it’s important that you click “Close/Start Application” within your profile to recheck whether you qualify for an Interview Waiver appointment under the new criteria.
If you have already scheduled an Interview Waiver appointment, please verify your eligibility under the new criteria. If you no longer qualify, cancel your appointment by clicking “Close/Start Application” within your profile and schedule your biometric and consular appointment for a personal visa interview.
It’s essential that you ensure compliance with the updated requirements before proceeding. This will help avoid any issues with your application.
You can disregard any “Auto Appointment Reminder” email notifications for your existing Interview Waiver appointment.
We hope you find this information helpful.
Sincerely,
U.S. Visa Service Desk.
SimpleGuy,
Yes, they are responding that way. Do share your experience how it goes here for community benefit.
Can you let me know your experience, i am in the same boat.
I’ve submitted my documents on February 11th. What will happen in my case?
Prashant,
Does your qualify under 48 months or your previous visa expired within 12 months? It is a tricky situation as they may or may not honor as it is past Feb 10th. We need to wait and see.
Do update here how it goes for community benefit.
I Have already scheduled dropdox appointment , now i need to change for Interview. Can i cancel the current appointment ? Do i need to pay the fee again?
Yalla1,
Yes, you can. You do not need to pay for the fee again, if your previous appointment was based on the previous 48 month rule. You can email the support to be sure before you cancel.
Can i use the drop box da-160 for in person interview or I need to fill new ds-160.
Sai,
You can use the same DS-160 as long as all of the data and status in it remains valid.
We have interview waiver appointments scheduled for Monday, February 24, 2025, at 9:45 AM at the Chennai OFC, with document pickup in Hyderabad. We initially qualified for the interview waiver (dropbox) program when we applied and were expecting to drop off our documents in Hyderabad for the Chennai OFC slot we received. We have flights booked to Hyderabad for Thursday, February 20, 2025, so time is of the essence.
My current H1B visa stamp is valid until July 2026. My wife’s H1B visa stamp expired in August 2024. She is now applying for an H4 dependent visa based on my new I-797 expiring in July 2027. However, with the recent rule change (requiring the previous visa to have expired within the last 12 months and being in the same visa category), we are extremely concerned about our eligibility for the interview waiver program.
We have the following urgent questions:
Our appointment (interview waiver/dropbox) is in Chennai, but our pickup is in Hyderabad. Can we still drop off our documents at the Hyderabad VAC, or must we travel to Chennai, given the new rules?
Is a change of status from H1B to H4 considered the “same class of visa” for interview waiver eligibility? My wife’s H1B expired within the last 12 months, but it’s a change to H4. Does this automatically disqualify her from the interview waiver?
Given our existing interview waiver/dropbox appointments and the imminent travel date (Feb 20th), should we proceed with them as scheduled, or do we need to make immediate changes?
Our biggest concern right now is the uncertainty around interview waiver/dropbox eligibility and the potential difficulty in getting a new appointment. Specifically:
Given the H1B to H4 change of status, what is your assessment of my wife’s chances of being eligible for the interview waiver/dropbox program? If the chances are slim, we need to act quickly.
If we need to switch to a standard in-person interview, what is the typical wait time for an OFC appointment and a subsequent consulate interview appointment in Hyderabad (or Chennai, if necessary)? Is it realistic to expect to get both appointments before our scheduled departure on February 20th?
If we cancel the existing interview waiver/dropbox appointment, is there a risk we won’t be able to secure any appointment before our trip, potentially forcing us to postpone our travel?
Given the time constraints and the uncertainty around interview waiver/dropbox eligibility, what is your strongest recommendation? Should we:
a) Keep the interview waiver/dropbox appointment and hope for the best?
b) Immediately cancel the interview waiver/dropbox appointment and try to secure a standard in-person interview, even with the risk of delays?
c) Explore any other options you might suggest?
Given that I may qualify for interview waiver/dropbox (my H1B is valid), does this automatically qualify my wife for interview waiver/dropbox as my dependent, even with the H1B to H4 change of status?
Can I proceed with my interview waiver/dropbox appointment since my H1B is valid and it’s the same status? Will they process my application without my wife’s H4 documents, or will it cause an issue?
If I choose not to get my new I-797 stamped at this time, can I still travel to India and return to the US using my existing H1B stamp (which is based on my previous employer)? Are there any potential issues I might encounter at the port of entry if I do this?
Considering the extreme urgency due to our booked flights and the recent rule changes, do you strongly recommend we travel to India for our current appointments, attempt to change our appointments, or potentially postpone/cancel our travel altogether? We need to make a decision immediately.
Dungeon Master,
H1B and H4 are not the same, so the interview waiver eligibility may not work. I suggest you create a new account and try it out in the USVisaScheduling System to verify.
Your situation is tricky, I suggest you reach out to the Support Team and then clarify.
I think you are good as far my experience. I did scheduled before the new rules but dropped it after the 12 month rule and no questions been asked. But yes who are above 12 months of expiry and Visa conversations from F to H even though having less than 12 months of expiry are asked to reschedule
But if you have time I would recommend calling the consulate toll free once to get the needed assistance
I did dropped in Hyderabad were dropbox is for chennai
As an example, if previous US visa in same category expired on Mar 31, 2024, what is the latest date that the dropbox appointment can be taken? Is it Mar 23, 2025 (7 days before 12 months)
Nanda,
Yes, that is right. This is to factor in their approval process and delivery.