New U.S. Visa Interview Rules Effective April 2025: You need to know this

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If you are planning to apply for a U.S. visa in 2025, you’ll want to pay close attention to new visa changes that may impact your travel plans.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses new rules for nonimmigrant visa applicants starting in April and explains how you can prepare for these changes ahead of time.

The new rules are part of the Trump administration’s new policies to increase vetting and enhance the security screening of noncitizens seeking visas to travel to the United States.

To learn more about these new changes please keep on watching this video.

Overview

Since taking office, the Trump administration has been aggressively working to reduce U.S. legal immigration to the United States. New changes in the visa application process will hinder entry for those who are unprepared.

Beginning April 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will implement stricter regulations for nonimmigrant visa applicants, including a crucial requirement: your DS-160 barcode number must precisely match the one used to schedule your appointment. Even small errors could require you to complete a new DS-160 application.

This blog post summarizes the upcoming changes to help you avoid delays.

What are some of the expected changes to the visa process?

#1 DS-160 Barcode Matching Requirement

The DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application is the official online nonimmigrant visa application form used for all nonimmigrant visa categories, including tourist, student, and work visas.

Moving forward, the bar code number on your DS-160 confirmation page must precisely match the one used to book your nonimmigrant visa interview appointment. Any discrepancy may lead to your visa appointment being cancelled or rescheduled. In the case of a mismatch, visa applicants will need to book a new appointment using a new DS-160 with the correct barcode.

It is also expected that U.S. Embassies or Consulates may soon prevent applicants from correcting responses on a submitted DS-160 application. If this occurs, applicants will be required to complete and submit a new DS-160 with the correct responses.

These changes aim to streamline the application process and reduce errors in the visa process.

Helpful tips:

  1. Always double-check your DS-160 barcode when scheduling your visa interview appointment to ensure a precise match
  2. Avoid submitting multiple DS-160s
  3. If corrections are needed, reopen your online DS-160 or contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance

#2 Mandatory Digital Document Submission

Applicants may soon be required to upload all supporting documents for their nonimmigrant visa applications via the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) portal at least 72 hours before their scheduled visa interview. This measure is designed to streamline the review process and reduce delays caused by incomplete documentation.

#3 Two-Year Travel History Requirement

The State Department is expected to require nonimmigrant visa applicants to present at least two years of travel history, five years of social media activity, and additional proof of ties to their home country.

These requirements are likely to lead to an estimated 20-25% increase in denials in most nonimmigrant visas and 30-40% increase in processing times. 

Who is Impacted by these Changes?

These changes will apply to all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, including:

  • Visitor visas (B1/B2)
  • Student visas (F, M)
  • Work visas (E, H, L, O, TN, etc.)
  • Immigrant visas (family, employment-based, etc.)

Why were these Changes made?

These new rules are meant to reduce delays and ensure a more efficient application process. However, the likely effect is an increase in visa delays and unnecessary rescheduling of visa interview appointments.

The Law Offices of Jacob J. Sapochnick is carefully monitoring these developments and will provide further details as soon as they are released. 

Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

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