The US Department of State has ruled that people travelling to the country on non-immigrant visas have been told they must attend any visa interviews required in their country of citizenship or legal residence. The change may lengthen waiting times in busy locations and add complexity to the application process.
The new policy came into force on September 6, stopping the practice of applicants for temporary visas to reduce waiting times by booking their interviews in third countries. Applicants from countries with no, or limited, US consulate presence (Iran, Cuba, or Russia, for example), can only use designated alternative embassies for their interviews. Those who already have appointments scheduled in a third country can still attend.
Meanwhile, the US has proposed a US$250 application fee for most non-immigrant visas, a substantial increase on current rates of between $160 to $190.