The US Consulate in Hyderabad announced that the first batch of student visa appointments will commence from mid-May and more batches will be released in the future. This comes after Consul General Mike Hankey’s announcement in Mumbai that the US aims to increase visa interview appointments for Indian students by 30 percent this summer.
“Attention students! In mid-May, the U.S. Mission to India will open the first batch of appointments for the upcoming student visa season. Additional appointments will be released later in the season. Prepare for your appointments and stay tuned for more student visa related announcements!” the Consulate tweeted.
The US government recently announced the extension of the visa waiver scheme for in-person interviews for some students, professors, research associates, specialists, and others till December 31, 2023.
Under the programme, consular officers will be able to waive the visa interview needs for a few first-time and while renewing F, M, and academic J applicants. Those who were earlier granted any type of visa, who have never been refused a visa unless such refusal was overcome or waived, and who have no apparent ineligibility or potential ineligibility will be eligible to avail of it.
For some first-time F, M, and academic J applicants who are citizens or nationals of a nation that take part in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), in-person interviews can also be waived as long as they have no apparent ineligibility or potential ineligibility and have previously visited the US using a permit obtained through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
However, the US State Department said that “Consular officers may still require an in-person interview on a case-by-case basis, taking into account local conditions. We encourage applicants to check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about this development, as well as current operating status and services.”
