Daily Times

The US State Department said that through next year, consular officers will be able to forgo in-person interviews for H1B and other non-immigrant visa applicants to assist reduce visa wait times.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows companies in the United States to hire foreign workers in specialist occupations that require theoretical or technical knowledge. Technology firms depend on it to hire tens of thousands of workers from countries such as India and China each year.

“The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in profound reductions in the department’s visa processing capacity,” it said in a statement. “As global travel rebounds, we are taking these temporary steps to further our commitment to safely and efficiently reduce visa wait times while maintaining national security as our priority.”

Nearly a dozen visa categories, including Persons in Specialty Occupations (H1B visas), student visas, temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers, student exchange visits, sports, artists, and entertainers, will now be temporarily exempt from in-person interviews.

The State Department also announced that the authority to waive the in-person interview for applicants renewing a visa in the same visa class within 48 months of the expiration of the previous visa has been extended indefinitely.

Due of the pandemic, the US State Department suspended all normal visa services in most nations in March 2020. While the services have been reintroduced with a restricted capacity and on a priority basis, due to a significant backlog, certain visa appointments are still months away.