The United States has eliminated the possibility for Indian applicants to process visas in third countries, a practice that allowed them to shorten long waiting periods. The new measure will require interviews to be conducted exclusively in India, affecting students, professionals, and visitors who will now need to plan their immigration processes further in advance.

On September 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced a change in its visa policy: Indian citizens will no longer be able to apply for visitor (B1/B2), work (H-1B, O-1) or student (F-1) visas in third countries to reduce wait times. From now on, applicants must attend their interviews only in their country of residence or citizenship.

This decision ends a common practice among Indian applicants, who used to travel to countries such as Thailand, Vietnam or even Germany to secure faster appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates.

End of the “third-country stamping” practice

For years, thousands of Indian applicants took advantage of the option to schedule consular interviews in countries with lower demand, reducing wait times in India that could exceed 15 to 20 months. Some consulates, such as Frankfurt, even set aside special slots for Indian applicants after the pandemic.

With the new rule, that flexibility disappears. Applicants who attempt to apply in a country other than their residence or nationality will automatically forfeit their fees and will have to restart the process in India.

Direct impact on students, professionals, and visitors

The measure especially affects three groups:

• Students (F-1): they will need to plan applications well in advance to avoid missing academic start dates at U.S. universities. 
• Professionals (H-1B and O-1): they lose the ability to renew or stamp visas while on business trips abroad, complicating corporate mobility. 
• Visitors (B1/B2): they will face long waiting lists in India, which may disrupt family or tourism travel plans. 

In addition, another measure took effect on September 2: almost all nonimmigrant visa applicants must now attend an in-person interview. Age-based exemptions or the expedited “drop box” renewals no longer apply in most cases.

Part of stricter immigration policies

This change is part of a broader package of immigration measures promoted by the Trump administration in its second term. Among them is the potential limitation of student visas to a maximum of four years, along with increased scrutiny of renewals and revocations.

According to official data, more than 6,000 student visas were revoked in 2025, and deportations of Indian nationals have risen from an average of 3 per day under the Biden administration to 8 per day today.

What Indian applicants should consider

In this scenario, immigration attorneys recommend that applicants and companies take preventive steps:

• Plan interviews well in advance, even up to a year ahead. 
• Check wait times in India and follow the embassy’s official schedule. 
• Avoid bookings in third countries, since fees are non-transferable. 
• Prepare supporting documentation for emergency appointments in cases of health or urgent travel. 

Consequences for global mobility

Eliminating the option to apply in third countries will have significant repercussions on the mobility of Indian students, professionals, and tourists, a group that represents one of the largest sources of U.S. visa applications.

For multinational companies and universities, the measure poses an additional challenge: recruitment and admissions processes will need to be adjusted to account for possible delays.

The policy announced on September 6 marks a turning point in India’s relationship with the U.S. immigration system. By requiring applicants to process their visas exclusively in their country of residence or nationality, the U.S. seeks to centralize and tighten the process — at the cost of longer waiting periods and reduced flexibility.

This scenario raises new questions about the future of migration and education flows toward the United States and presents a challenge for thousands of Indian families, professionals, and students who see the country as a key destination for their academic and professional development.