(SOUTH KOREA) New U.S. visa interview rules that took effect on September 2, 2025 are causing long delays and disrupted travel plans for people in South Korea, as well as in Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and other high-demand countries. the policy change by the U.S. Department of State – U.S. Visas sharply cuts back on interview waivers, meaning most travelers must now appear in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate, even if they held a U.S. visa before.
Under the new system, most nonimmigrant visa applicants for tourist, business, work, study, and exchange categories now need an interview. This includes common visas such as B-1/B-2 visitor visas, H-1B and L-1 work visas, O-1 visas for people with special skills, and F-1, M-1, and J-1 visas for students and exchange visitors. For many regular Korean travelers who were used to quick renewals with minimal paperwork, this marks a sharp shift in how access to the 🇺🇸 is managed.
End of broad age-based exemptions
One of the most striking parts of the policy is the end of broad age-based exemptions. In the past, children under 14 and adults over 79 were usually allowed to skip interviews.
Now, almost everyone, regardless of age, must appear in person unless they fit into a narrow exception. Families in South Korea planning trips for study, tourism, or to accompany working parents now need to secure interview slots for young children and elderly relatives as well, adding cost and stress.
Renewals and the “Dropbox” process largely gone
Renewals have also become much harder. The popular so‑called “Dropbox” process, which allowed certain applicants to renew visas in the same category without a face‑to‑face interview, has largely disappeared.
People in South Korea renewing H-1B, L-1, O-1, or F-1 visas are now being directed to schedule full interviews, even if they have a long record of travel and compliance. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, this shift is a key reason appointment lines have swelled across Asia.
Remaining interview waiver exceptions (tight and limited)
Interview waivers are not completely gone, but they are now tightly limited. The main remaining exception applies to renewals of full-validity B-1, B-2, or B1/B2 visas and Border Crossing Cards, and only if strict conditions are met.
Key conditions for that narrow waiver:
– Applicant must apply within 12 months of the previous visa’s expiration
– Applicant must have been at least 18 years old when the prior visa was issued
– Applicant must apply in the country of nationality or residence
– Applicant must have no prior visa refusal that still counts against them and no known ineligibility
Even when these conditions are met, consular officers retain discretion to require an in-person interview.
Other, rarer waiver possibilities:
– Diplomatic and official visas (A, C-3, G, NATO, and TECRO E-1 categories)
– Humanitarian or urgent medical emergencies (very limited)
– Nationals of countries where regular U.S. visa services do not exist
For the average applicant in South Korea wanting to visit relatives, attend a business meeting, or start a degree in the United States, these exceptions will generally not apply, and an interview will be required.
Impact on South Korea: longer waits and earlier planning
The impact on South Korea has been swift. With almost all applicants now funneled into interview queues, appointment wait times have stretched to several months, and in some cases much longer.
Reported global waits in affected countries have grown to four to eleven months, with specific cities seeing even more severe delays. Korean students hoping to start courses in the United States, and companies planning short-notice business trips, are now being told to apply many months earlier than before or risk missing key dates.
Country-of-residence rule and risks of applying abroad
Applicants are now expected to apply in their home country or country of legal residence, rather than booking faster appointments in third countries.
Practical consequences:
– South Korean nationals living in Korea are pushed to the crowded U.S. Embassy in Seoul instead of shopping around for quicker interviews abroad.
– Those who try to schedule in other countries risk visa refusal and the loss of non-refundable application fees if a consular officer decides they should have applied where they live.
Increased travel and administrative burden
The policy shift is increasing the travel and administrative burden for families and employers.
Examples of added burdens:
– Parents arranging U.S. summer camps, university visits, or medical trips must bring the whole family to interviews.
– Older parents who previously skipped interviews must now attend; this can be difficult for people with health or mobility issues.
– Human resources and mobility teams in Korean companies must build in longer lead times, reschedule projects, or delay U.S. assignments when employees or dependents cannot secure appointments in time.
South Korean response and practical advice
South Korean officials have already expressed concern about the effect of these rules on normal travel and educational ties with the United States, and are seeking further clarity.
While there is no sign yet that the U.S. Department of State will reverse the changes, local lawyers and education agents in Seoul are urging applicants to check the official U.S. Department of State – U.S. Visas page regularly for updates. They also stress that all required documents now need to be ready and, where required, uploaded at least 72 hours before the interview, or applicants may face added delays.
Key takeaway: Plan far ahead. People in South Korea looking to travel to the United States for tourism, study, work, or exchanges in late 2025 and 2026 are being told to think in terms of many months, not weeks, when it comes to visa timing.
Practical checklist for applicants in South Korea
- Start your visa application process many months before planned travel.
- Confirm you are applying in your country of residence (South Korea) to avoid refusal risks.
- Prepare and upload all required documents at least 72 hours before your interview, if applicable.
- Expect interviews for most categories: B-1/B-2, H-1B, L-1, O-1, F-1, M-1, J-1.
- If relying on a narrow waiver (e.g., B-1/B-2 renewal), verify you meet all conditions and be prepared for a possible interview anyway.
- Build contingency plans for delayed travel, study start dates, or business assignments.
For now, immigration professionals’ repeated advice is simple: plan far ahead. Missing an interview slot can mean missing an entire trip, given how tight the system has become since September 2, 2025.
Effective Sept. 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of State sharply limited interview waivers, requiring most nonimmigrant applicants in South Korea and other high-demand countries to attend in-person interviews. Age-based exemptions ended, the Dropbox renewal process largely disappeared, and appointment waits expanded to four–eleven months. Applicants must generally apply in their country of residence, meet narrow waiver criteria if eligible, upload documents 72 hours before interviews, and plan many months ahead to avoid disrupted travel, study, or work plans.
