US waives in-person interviews for H-1B, other types of non-immigrant visas for 2022
According to a statement, the department's visa processing capacity has been substantially hampered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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FollowAccording to the State Department, the United States will waive in-person interviews for H-1B and other non-immigrant visa applicants. To shorten visa wait times, the US waives in-person interviews for H-1B and some other types of non-immigrant visas until next year. According to a statement, the department's visa processing capacity has been substantially hampered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It added that as global travel recovers, they are taking these interim actions to demonstrate our commitment to securely and effectively reducing visa wait times while keeping national security as our top concern. According to Reuters, consular staff are now temporarily authorised to forego in-person interviews for almost a dozen visa categories, including H-1B visas, student visas, temporary agricultural and non-agricultural employees, student exchange visits, and sports, artists, and entertainers.
The State Department also stated that the power to waive the in-person interview for applicants renewing a visa in the same visa class within 48 months after the expiration of the prior visa has been extended indefinitely.
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Applicants seeking H-1B, L-1, and O-1 visas applying from outside the United States will not be needed to attend an in-person interview at a US consulate, which is generally the final step before a visa is given. These are the most popular visa kinds businesses use to hire high-skilled employees from outside.
Also Read | Good news: Spouses of H-1B visa holders to get automatic work authorisation permits in US
The Department's visa processing capacity was severely reduced due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As global travel recovers, the United States adopts these temporary actions to demonstrate its commitment to lowering visa wait times safely and efficiently while safeguarding national security. The decision was reached with the approval of Department of Homeland Security partners.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the US State Department halted all regular visa services in most countries worldwide in March 2020. While the services have been restored with limited capacity and on a priority basis, there are still months-long wait periods for certain visa appointments due to a significant backlog.
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