The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security has extended the visa interview waiver authority for low-risk applicants, which was set to expire on December 31.
The visa interview waiver authority gives consular officers the discretion to waive in-person interviews for certain low-risk nonimmigrant visa applications. Eligible applicants have previously visited the U.S. and are still subject to the same strenuous background checks and screening that all nonimmigrants receive.
Failing to extend the waiver authority would have significantly increased wait times for 40 percent of visa applicants, costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost traveler spending, the US Travel Association said.
“Visa interview waivers for low-risk travelers are critical to protecting the American economy and reducing the pandemic-era visa backlog that has hindered the growth of international inbound travel to the United States,” said Geoff Freeman, USTA president and CEO. “By extending the visa waiver authority, the Biden administration prevented a loss of 64 million visitors and $215 billion in spending over the next 10 years. In 2024 alone, the U.S. will retain an additional 2.2 million visitors and $5.9 billion in traveler spending that would have been lost without the extension.”
