Major Changes Coming to US Visa Process: Dropbox Interview Waiver Ending for Most in 2025

Starting September 2, 2025, the U.S. is making a big change to how most visas are renewed. The Dropbox program — which allowed many people to renew their visas without an in-person interview — will end for most visa types.

This means that almost everyone, including those renewing H-1B, L-1, F-1 (student), and O-1 visas, will now need to go to a U.S. consulate and attend an interview in person — even if they were previously exempt.

That includes kids under 14 and seniors over 79, who used to automatically qualify for waivers. Now, they’ll also need to show up for interviews.

Only a few exceptions remain — mainly for diplomatic or official visa holders (like A, G, NATO, and TECRO visa types).

Some B-1/B-2 tourist visa renewals may still be eligible for waivers, but only under strict conditions (like having no past visa refusals and applying within 12 months of visa expiry).

Expect delays. With more people needing interviews, wait times at consulates — especially in busy countries like India — are likely to go up.

Some Dropbox appointments are already being canceled. Applicants who thought they could skip the interview are now being asked to come in person instead.

USCIS also announced a key change to how visa availability is calculated under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). This affects how a child’s age is counted for green card eligibility.

Advocates say the update could hurt many high-skilled immigrant families from India and China, where long wait times might cause more children to “age out” — losing their chance to get a green card through their parents.