Waiver of Personal Appearance and In-Person Oath Requirement for Certain Immigrant Visa Applicants Due to COVID-19
The State Department published a rule on December 13, 2021 that allows consular officers the flexibility to waive in-person interviews for certain immigrant visas due to COVID-19 conditions. Read more at the full rule linked here.
Copied from State Department:
The Department is temporarily authorizing consular officers, for 24 months, to waive, on a discretionary basis, the requirements in 22 CFR 42.62 and 42.67 that an immigrant visa applicant appear in person before and be interviewed by a consular officer for certain repeat immigrant visa applicants. This TFR applies to immigrant visa applicants who were issued a U.S. immigrant visa on or after August 4, 2019, who meet the following additional criteria: Individuals who would be eligible for a discretionary waiver of personal appearance and interview pursuant to this TFR must be seeking an immigrant visa in the same classification (or another classification as the result of automatic conversion due to the death or naturalization of the petitioner of the previously issued immigrant visa) and pursuant to the same approved petition as their previously approved application, and they must continue to qualify for the immigrant visa sought.
Continued:
This TFR applies to a narrow category of immigrant visa applicants. To qualify for the discretionary in-person waiver, an applicant must:
(1) Have been issued a U.S. immigrant visa on or after August 4, 2019;
(2) Seek an immigrant visa in the same classification and pursuant to the same approved petition as the previously issued immigrant visa, or an immigrant visa pursuant to the same approved petition as the previously issued visa but in a different classification because it was automatically converted due to the death or naturalization of the petitioner of the previously issued immigrant visa;
(3) Qualify for an immigrant visa in the same classification, or another classification as the result of automatic conversion due to the death or naturalization of the petitioner of the previously issued immigrant visa, and pursuant to the same approved petition as the previously issued immigrant visa; and
(4) Have no changed circumstances that could affect the applicant’s eligibility for the visa.
This TFR furthers the Department’s commitment to the health and safety of consular officers and customers by reducing personal appearances, as appropriate, which could potentially expose consular officers, locally employed staff, applicants, and customers to COVID-19. This will also save time and travel expenses for applicants who wish to apply for another immigrant visa after having been unable or unwilling to use their original visa. This TFR is effective until 24 months following its publication in the Federal Register .