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The U.S. State Department is tightening rules for visa interview waivers, commonly known as the “dropbox” program, affecting both international students and professionals planning to travel to the United States. The new regulations, effective October 1, 2025, replace guidance issued earlier this year on July 25 and significantly reduce the number of applicants eligible to skip in-person interviews.

Under the updated rules, most nonimmigrant visa applicants, including children under 18 and adults over 79, will generally be required to attend an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The interview waiver will remain available only to a limited group, including diplomatic or official visa holders, certain government visa categories, and individuals renewing a B-1, B-2, or H-2A visa within 12 months of the previous visa, provided the prior visa was issued for full validity and the applicant was at least 18 at the time.

Applicants seeking to use the waiver must also apply in their country of nationality or usual residence, have no prior visa refusals unless resolved, and show no apparent ineligibility. Even in such circumstances, consular officers still have discretion to demand in-person interviews on an individual basis.

The change is expected to create challenges for international students, who have counted on more efficient visa processing in order to go to U.S. universities. Student visa categories impacted are F-1 visas for full-time academic programs, M-1 visas for vocational study, and J-1 visas for exchange programs. Dependents and family members joining students will also see longer waiting times.

Well-trained professionals and other employees will also be required to adapt because most relied on the dropbox process for B-1, B-2, and H-2A visa renewal without a hitch. The new regulations will require more preparation, documentation, and scheduling of appointments for in-person interviews.

Applicants are invited to check U.S. embassy and consulate websites for country-specific information and to plan ahead for possible delays. While the dropbox program itself will continue in diminished form, the overall preference for in-person review is part of a broader trend in U.S. visa policy toward greater scrutiny and oversight.