Why US has canceled dropbox visa appointments in India
What's the story
The United States consular offices in India have canceled all Dropbox (interview waiver) visa appointments for August and September this year. This decision was taken after the US Department of State's directive on July 25. The cancellation affects H, L, F, M, J, E, as well as the O visa categories.
Impact
Thousands of applicants affected
The cancellation of Dropbox renewals will impact thousands of Indian professionals, students, researchers, and exchange visitors. These individuals had planned to use the facility for their visa renewals. Applicants are now required to log into their visa appointment profiles to confirm cancellations and reschedule interviews under new rules. Many will have to restart their application process from scratch, including answering updated eligibility questions.
Conditions
Who is still eligible for interview waiver?
Visa applicants have been advised to check the validity of their MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee, as the payments older than 365 days may not be accepted unless an extension is announced. Children under 14 and adults over 79 are now required to appear for interviews. However, diplomatic and official visa categories like A, G, NATO, and TECRO E-1 remain eligible for Dropbox waivers.
Policy change
Why were the appointments canceled?
The main reason for the suspension of Dropbox interviews in India is the US's decision to revert to pre-pandemic visa screening procedures. Certain B-1/B-2 visitor visa renewals may still qualify under strict conditions, but consular officers can request in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis. For applicants whose August-September Dropbox slots were canceled, they must check for a cancellation notice via email and confirm their status through the appointment portal.