Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 29: From September 1, certain applicants applying for visas to visit United States of America can apply for an exemption from mandatory interview. This will make visa application process shorter for Indian nationals, reports The Economic Times.

Applicants renewing their US visa (subject to certain conditions), children below the age of 14, and senior citizen above the age of 79 can qualify for an interview waiver while applying for a US visa starting next month.

According to an Economic Times report, the US Consulate has sent a communique to travel agent associations, stating that they aim to reduce turnaround times for visa renewals and improve customer service for visa applicants across India. The eligible applicants are asked to schedule an appointment date in order to drop off their passport and visa application materials at one of its 11 locations in the country. 

A visa application centre employee will review the document checklist before accepting the application for delivery to the US Embassy or Consulate. In seven to ten business days after submission, applicants will receive a decision on their case. However, the consulate has clarified that in certain cases, the applicant may be called to appear for an interview.

“If the applicant is required to come in for an interview, he or she must travel to the post selected for interview waiver processing,” it said in its communication. “Once documents are submitted, it is not possible to transfer cases between posts. Applicants who must appear for an interview will be notified on how to proceed,” the communication added. 

The locations where the US visa application centres are situated in are New Delhi, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kochi and Mumbai.