The US Embassy in India has reminded families that children applying for most nonimmigrant visas are generally required to attend an in-person consular interview. The requirement can apply even to infants and children younger than 14.
This is a clarification of an existing rule, not a newly announced visa policy. Under US State Department guidance effective since October 1, 2025, nonimmigrant applicants below 14 and above 79 generally require an interview unless they fall within a limited exemption.
Potential exceptions include applicants for certain diplomatic and official visa categories. Some adults renewing qualifying B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 visas, as well as certain H-2A applicants, may also be considered for interview waivers if they meet all the prescribed conditions.
Those renewal exceptions generally require the applicant to have been at least 18 when the previous visa was issued. As a result, most minor applicants cannot claim a waiver merely because of their age or because their parents already hold valid US visas.
A consular officer retains the authority to request an interview in any case. Parents should therefore follow the appointment instructions provided for each child and consult official embassy information instead of relying on earlier age-based exemptions.
