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/ Visa Application / Interview Waiver

Interview Waiver Program

US visa application without a visa interview appointment

Typically, applying for a visa for the USA is not that easy and, above all, time-consuming. But with the so-called Interview Waiver Program or Visa Reissuance Program, certain applicants have the opportunity to renew their visa conveniently by mail instead of in a personal interview at the US consulate.

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What is the Interview Waiver Program?

As part of the Interview Waiver Program certain applicants can, under precisely defined conditions

  • apply for a US visa without a personal visa interview appointment and
  • submit the application documents by mail.

This means that, in exceptional cases, the visa can be sent in by post and without interview so that you do not have to appear in person at the US consular section.

Until the introduction of this regulation, all visa applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 had to appear in person at the US consulate or US embassy without exception.

The Interview Waiver Program is also known as Visa Reissuance Program or Visa Renewal Program.

The exemption from the interview requirement for certain visa categories helps to reduce the workload of consular staff and normalize the appointment situation.

Bild von US-Visumbeantragung per Post
Attention:

The US consulates worldwide can decide for which applicants they offer the interview exemption and whether a personal interview is still required in individual cases. This means that applicants who use the postal procedure can be invited for an interview by the US consulate at a later date if required.

Furthermore, the use of the Interview Waiver Program does not, of course, automatically guarantee the receipt of the US visa. Check the website of the relevant US embassy or US consulate for information on the respective procedure, the appointment situation and the guidelines for your visa application.

Requirements for the Interview Waiver Program

There are three groups of applicants who qualify for the postal submission procedure under certain conditions:

Age exemption:

  • Applicants are younger than 14 years or older than 79 years

Reapplication for the same visa category ("Renewal"):

  • The US visa of the same category was approved in a personal interview at a US consulate / US embassy
  • The last US visa applied for is still valid or has not been valid for longer than 12 months expired
  • The former visa does not contain any of the following terms in the annotation line: "Waiver", "Clearance" or "Blanket". This means that L-Blanket visa will continue to be excluded for the postal application procedure.
  • The nationality is identical for both applications (the last and the current one)
  • The passport including US visa is still available

First-time application for certain visa categories

  • Only possible for diplomats or government officials of the following categories: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (except personal or domestic employees of accredited officials), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 to NATO 6 or TECRO E-2
    • To submit documents by post (mail-in procedure), all applicants must also meet the following requirements:
  • Applicants apply for the US visa in the country of their own citizenship or residence permit and are physically present in the country of application
  • Applicants generally qualify for the visa category applied for
  • There is neither a visa refusal nor a ESTA refusal before
  • There are no violations of immigration or criminal law
  • Due to your nationality, you do not have to pay a so-called "Reciprocity Fee" in the visa application process (background: this payment can only be made in person at the US consulate)

Depending on the visa category and the US consulate or US embassy, further conditions may apply.

Note

Until 2025, it was possible for a large number of non-immigrant visas to bypass the consular interview by sending in the documents by post.

The regulation on applying for certain US visa categories by post instead of appearing at the US consulate for an interview was extremely limited by the Department of State on February 18, 2025so that only a few applicants still qualify for the Interview Waiver Program.

Most important change: Only persons who "renew" the same visa category, i.e. reapply, are eligible, provided the previous US visa has not expired for more than 12 months.

Previously, 48 months applied and first-time applicants could also apply for their US visa by post under certain conditions.

Originally, the expansion of the Interview Waiver Program was intended to relieve the burden on US consulates worldwide and help ease the appointment situation. The current restrictions may again lead to longer waiting times for available interview appointments or exacerbate the situation at US consulates, where waiting times are already very long.

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New procedure for postal applications

How does the mail-in procedure work?

First of all, it is important to know that there is no standardized application procedure for the Interview Waiver Program at US consular missions worldwide. You should therefore find out about the requirements and individual processes of the mail-in procedure in your country of application in good time before applying for a visa.

Applicants should be available to the US consulate during the application process for further questions or a (possible) subsequent invitation to a personal appointment.

As part of the changeover to a new booking system and new visa profiles, the Interview Waiver Navigator was implemented for the first time for the German US consulates (Berlin, Frankfurt / Main, Munich). The IWP Navigator is available in both German and English.

The most important new feature is that applicants must now send an e-mail to the US consulate in advance, which must contain certain information and application documents.

Those who wish to take advantage of the Interview Waiver Program at the US consulates in Germany must now proceed as follows to submit their visa application documents:

  1. To apply for a US visa, you must first complete the DS-160 form and submit it to the US authorities.
  2. Then create an online profile on the website of the visa information service CGI Federal Inc. or open your existing profile. In the profile, you will be asked a number of yes / no questions regarding the interview waiver entry requirements.
  3. If you meet the requirements for the Interview Waiver Program, you will be informed in your online profile and can choose whether you want to submit the visa application by mail or make a regular appointment. If you choose the postal procedure, you will receive an "Interview Waiver Confirmation Letter" with further instructions on the submission procedure and, in particular, a link to the Interview Waiver Navigator.
  4. On the Interview Waiver Navigator website, a selection menu provides you with final information and precise instructions on which documents you must submit to the US authorities in advance by e-mail and in what form. Strictly follow the instructions, especially the specified subject lines. Otherwise your application cannot be processed. Your attached documents must not be larger than 2 MB.
  5. If your visa application is approved, you will then be asked by the US authorities by e-mail to send in your passport so that your US visa can be issued. If you are renewing your visa, you may be asked to enclose your old passport with the valid visa (for cancelation).
  6. Please pay the corresponding delivery fee.
  7. Now send your passport to the relevant US consulate.
  8. As soon as the US visa has been attached to your passport, you will receive your passport and visa by UPS to a pick-up station or your preferred address.
Attention:

Some of the visa profiles still contain old information. This means that some online profiles still refer to the old (exclusively postal) submission procedure and not yet to the Interview Waiver Navigator. We recommend that you strictly adhere to what is displayed in the system.

How long does the mail-in procedure take?

In the German US consulates or the US embassy, the processing times for the postal submission procedure are around 2 to 4 weeks - from sending the application documents to the US consulate / US embassy to returning the passport including the US visa to the applicant.

The processing times in other countries may differ from this.

Bild von US-Visumbeantragung per Post
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  1. First contact: We clarify which visa or which visa types are applicable in your case.
  2. Worldwide support: We will assist you with your request, no matter where you are located.
  3. Assignment: We send your HR department and the respective employees all the necessary documents and checklists.
  4. Visa processing: We take care of checking, correcting and compiling the application documents.
  5. Visa Interview Preparation: We will disburse the visa application fee for you and arrange the visa interview appointment. In addition, each applicant will be prepared by telephone for the formalities and procedures at the US Consulate.
  6. Visa issuance: We check your visa for accuracy and prepare your employees for entry into the USA by telephone.
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