US tightens visa rules: Indians must now apply where they live or return home

Indians applying for U.S. immigrant visas must now attend interviews only in India or in the country where they reside, under a new U.S. State Department rule effective November 1.

The updated guidelines require all immigrant visa applicants—including those seeking green cards through family sponsorship, employment, or the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery—to appear for interviews either in their country of residence or, if requested, in their country of nationality. This mirrors similar rules for nonimmigrant visas (like H-1B, F-1, and B-1/B-2), which took effect on September 6.

For most Indians living in India, the change will have little impact. Interviews will continue to be held at U.S. consulates in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, or Kolkata.

However, the shift significantly affects Indian nationals residing abroad. For instance, an Indian living in the UAE will now have their immigrant visa interview scheduled in Abu Dhabi or Dubai—not India—unless they request otherwise.

The rule also eliminates visa shopping, where applicants chose faster or more convenient consulates in other countries. Now, interviews will be tied to where applicants live, reducing case backlogs and improving local workload balance, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Applicants may still request a change in interview location, but must go through the National Visa Center—not directly through consulates. Exceptions will be granted only for humanitarian, medical, or foreign policy reasons.

The change comes as the U.S. formalizes its reliance on regional “designated posts” for applicants in countries with non-functioning or unsafe U.S. embassies, such as Afghans in Islamabad or Iranians in Ankara.

For Indians abroad—especially in countries with long wait times or no designated posts—this means stricter routing and potentially longer timelines, unless they opt to return to India for processing.