- The U.S. Embassy in India confirmed all minors must appear in person for visa interviews.
- No age exemptions apply, meaning even newborns must attend the consular window with parents.
- These updated security measures follow a significant rollback of interview waivers initiated in late 2025.
On Aug. 17, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in India said on its Visa Friday feed that minor visa applicants must appear in person for interviews at the consular window. No newborn is exempt.
The mission first posted the clarification on its official X account on Aug. 14, 2026, then repeated it three days later. Parents had assumed very young children could stay home. Not anymore.
Free toolCSPA Age-Out Calculator Online
The embassy said the rule leaves no age carve-out. It wrote:
"It is mandatory for the visa officer to see all applicants of every age during the interview process." "Every minor visa applicant, irrespective of their age—from newborns to 17-year-olds—is required to be present in person at the interview window."
A follow-up on Aug. 17 linked the rule to security and identity checks. The embassy said officers need to see the applicant face to face. It added:
"Keeping America’s border secure is of utmost importance. The consular interview is an important part of the US visa process, and parents or guardians should not assume that an infant or a minor can skip this step."
The point is plain.
The change also fits a wider rollback that started on September 2, 2025. Full implementation followed on October 1, 2025. Before that, children under 14 often used Interview Waivers, sometimes through the Dropbox facility. The shortcut is mostly gone.
A Bureau of Consular Affairs update dated September 18, 2025, now leaves only a narrow waiver path. Few remain. The remaining categories sit in two buckets, diplomatic or official visas, and certain B-1/B-2 renewals. The in-person step gives officers a direct visual identity check.
Waivers now survive only in narrow lanes
The list is short. Ordinary family cases do not get an age-based waiver.
| Waiver category | Rule |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic and official visas | A-1, A-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6 |
| B-1/B-2 renewal | Within 12 months of expiration, only if the previous visa was issued when the applicant was at least 18 years old |
| Most other nonimmigrant applicants | No age-based waiver after the 2025 change |
The list is short.
Parents still need the child’s papers in hand
The window still asks for paperwork, and the child has to match it. Bring the originals.
- valid passport
- birth certificate (original)
- printed DS-160 confirmation page
Photo rules stay tight.
- 2×2 inches
- taken within the last six months
- plain white background
- natural, calm expression for infants
- no hands or objects visible
The officer checks the face.
Parents cannot leave the child behind. At busy posts such as Mumbai, New Delhi and Beijing, the added in-person visits have pushed more families into longer lines. Medical trips still need the same step. China adopted a similar rule on June 10, 2025.
The embassy repeated the warning on Aug. 17, 2026. The follow-up came three days after the first post.
