New Delhi: The US Embassy in India on Tuesday consolidated the B1/B2 waiver interview appointments in New Delhi from now on.
The US Embassy in India said that the applicants will still be able to submit the application forms free of cost at any of their five Visa application centres in India or for a fee of Rs 850 per application.
The applicants can drop their documents at any of the document dropoff location centres at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Cochin, Jalandhar or Pune. Because of this consolidation, the candidates will see limited interview waiver appointments continue to be readily available in New Delhi for any interview waiver-eligible applicants looking for a visitor visa. The post also mentioned that applicants won’t be required to travel to New Delhi unless they are found ineligible to use the interview waiver process.
A B1/B2 Visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows foreign nationals to travel to the United States temporarily for Business (B1), tourism (B-2), or a mix of both (B1/B2). This visa category is widely used for brief visits to the US B visas are typically valid for up to 10 years from the issue date, and travellers to the US can stay up to 180 days, with the option to return to the US again after that time. A maximum of 6 months may be obtained for any B-1/B-2 entry, with the possibility for extensions within the U.S. in qualifying cases. The exact duration varies per visa holder, but you can typically stay in the US for up to six months.
The B1 is used for short business trips (conferences, meetings, contract negotiations, etc). Those with B1 visas cannot work in the U.S. in the traditional sense, as of March 2023, B1 or B2 visa holders can apply for jobs in the U.S. and attend interviews.
The B2 (tourist visa) is for tourism, vacation, or visiting friends and family. It also covers certain medical treatments and participation in social events or contests, like music or sports, without receiving pay. In most cases, a B1/B2 visa is issued together, allowing the holder to travel for both business and pleasure.
Interview waiver appointments for visitor visas in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai are currently quite scarce as a result of this consolidation; nevertheless, appointments for interview waiver-eligible candidates seeking a visitor visa are still easily accessible in New Delhi. If the Embassy decides that applicants must attend an in-person interview, those who have submitted their passports for processing regarding interview waivers may need to make an appearance in New Delhi.
An important notice for people was that If their appointment was booked before November 15, 2023, they could proceed with their appointment to the VAC or document drop-off location with their corrected DS-160 confirmation page.
Suppose their appointment was scheduled on or after November 15, 2023. In that case, they will need to bring both the revised DS-160 confirmation sheet and the original DS-160 confirmation page to the VAC or document drop-off facility on the day of the appointment. They must cancel and reschedule their appointment by submitting their updated DS-160 application number if they are unable to produce both their original and corrected DS-160 confirmation pages.
