Hello everyone - As some of you must be aware, US Consulates in India have now restarted the VISA Interview Waiver Program for applicants requiring VISA stamping. Given below are the conditions:
Under the current Interview Waiver Program, Indian visa applicants who are renewing visas that are still valid or expired within the past 48 months may submit their applications for consideration for streamlined processing, including waiver of a personal interview, within the following visa categories:
• Business/Tourism (B1 and/or B2);
• Dependent (J2, H4, L2)
• Transit (C) and/or Crew Member (D) - including C1/D.
• Children applying before their 7th birthday traveling on any visa class
• Applicants applying on or after their 80th birthday traveling on any visa class
Under the expanded program, the following Indian applicants may also be considered for streamlined processing:
• Children applying before their 14th birthday traveling on any visa class. Applicants who have received their prior visa before their 14th birthday are not eligible for consideration.
• Students returning to attend the same school and same program
• Temporary workers on H1-B visas returning to work for the same petitioner where the visa is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months
• Temporary workers on Individual L1-A or Individual L1-B visas applying for the same visa and returning to work for the same petitioner, where the visa is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months
The renewal application must be within the same classification as the previous visa. If the previous visa is annotated with the words “clearance received,” that applicant is not eligible for a waiver of a personal interview.
My wife is currently in India and she got her H4 VISA stamped using the above method and it took less than a week for her to get her stamped passport back!! This is VERY convenient for all of us seeking to use this facility.
HOWEVER, my question is this - Can make use of this facility even if we are NOT in India? Meaning, what if my wife drops my passport into the Mumbai Drop Box for VISA stamping even while I continue to stay in the US? Is that legal and is it possible?
Under the current Interview Waiver Program, Indian visa applicants who are renewing visas that are still valid or expired within the past 48 months may submit their applications for consideration for streamlined processing, including waiver of a personal interview, within the following visa categories:
• Business/Tourism (B1 and/or B2);
• Dependent (J2, H4, L2)
• Transit (C) and/or Crew Member (D) - including C1/D.
• Children applying before their 7th birthday traveling on any visa class
• Applicants applying on or after their 80th birthday traveling on any visa class
Under the expanded program, the following Indian applicants may also be considered for streamlined processing:
• Children applying before their 14th birthday traveling on any visa class. Applicants who have received their prior visa before their 14th birthday are not eligible for consideration.
• Students returning to attend the same school and same program
• Temporary workers on H1-B visas returning to work for the same petitioner where the visa is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months
• Temporary workers on Individual L1-A or Individual L1-B visas applying for the same visa and returning to work for the same petitioner, where the visa is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months
The renewal application must be within the same classification as the previous visa. If the previous visa is annotated with the words “clearance received,” that applicant is not eligible for a waiver of a personal interview.
My wife is currently in India and she got her H4 VISA stamped using the above method and it took less than a week for her to get her stamped passport back!! This is VERY convenient for all of us seeking to use this facility.
HOWEVER, my question is this - Can make use of this facility even if we are NOT in India? Meaning, what if my wife drops my passport into the Mumbai Drop Box for VISA stamping even while I continue to stay in the US? Is that legal and is it possible?