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- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 19 Dec 2024 07:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a major relief for Indians planning to visit the United States, the US embassy has announced new rules for non-immigrant visa applicants, set to take effect on January 1, 2025. The new regulations, revealed on December 18, aim to streamline the visa application process, with promises of reduced wait times and a more equitable opportunity for visa interview appointments.
The US embassy's announcement of new visa rules follows the Department of Homeland Security's recent changes to modernise the H-1B visa process. These updates aim to streamline visa applications, reduce wait times, and provide fair opportunities for applicants.
The US Embassy emphasised that the new changes are designed to make the visa appointment process easier and faster for everyone, encouraging applicants to attend their scheduled appointments to maintain efficiency and fairness. "To make sure everyone has a fair chance at getting a visa interview appointment and to reduce wait times, we’re making some changes," stated the US Embassy in India.
US Visa Appointment Rescheduling Rules to Take Effect In January 2025
The US embassy announced changes to visa rescheduling policies, allowing applicants to reschedule their appointments once for free. However, if they miss the appointment or need to reschedule again, they will have to pay the application fee once more.
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“Starting January 1, 2025, you can still schedule your first nonimmigrant visa appointment at the location of your choice. If you need to reschedule for any reason, you will be able to do that one time. If you miss your appointment or need to reschedule a second time, you’ll need to book a new appointment and repay your application fee. Since wait times are long, please make sure you can attend on the date you’ve selected," the embassy said in its post on Instagram.