Check US Visa Renewal Dropbox Eligibility 2024-25 (With App)

Originally published at: Check US Visa Renewal Dropbox Eligibility 2024-25 (With App) - USA

US visa Interview waiver is the term used for the Dropbox facility. This means that you can get a US visa stamp without any personal interview by a US visa officer. Dropbox is also known as a mail-in facility in countries like Australia, Canada, Denmark, and others. There is no box as such but you…

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Hi i have a quick question. we made payment after completing ds 160 to apply for visa stamping to USA. waiting for drop box slots as we are eligible for the same. problem is my son is going to turn 14 by end of aug . I don’t see any chance of getting slots before that what are my next steps? is my family eligibility still valid or any changes i need to make for my son?
please advise me.

The person should be eligible for Dropbox on the date of dropping the documents.

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oh Thank you Anil. Because of the no availability of appointments we are going to land in this situation. We already made the payments and are waiting for the drop box appointments. If we don’t get it before 22nd Aug do I need to redo ds160 for my son and make one more payment?

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Hello, My situation is as below
I am alone qualified for the H1B drop-box (interview waiver) based on the questions asked during the appointment booking as I have a valid B1.
Below are the details regarding my wife and kids. Please let me know if we all 4 are eligible for the DROPBOX option?
Wife: Holds an H1B visa which expired on date as - August 2020, without any annotated : “Clearance received” or “Department authorization”.
KIDS: a Girl child 8 years 6 months old and a boy child 2 years 6months without any old visas.
Myself: holding a valid B1.
Could you please let me know if we all four are eligible for the DROPBOX option?
Thank you

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Hi,
Can you advise further on question “My same visa (that I plan to apply for) was denied by US embassy in past (anytime).”?
My situation, My H1B VISA stamping in the year 2008, got 221(g), replied with relevant documentation, and Didn’t receive any reply on that from Embassy or USCIS.
Later in the year 2017, Applied for another H1b with different employer (Went through all the process again , lottery, Petition approval, stamping). It was approved and stamped.and, this is latest VISA stamp on my passport.
In this scenario, What do I need to answer for “My same visa (that I plan to apply for) was denied by US embassy in past (anytime).”?
Thank you

It sounds like your visa was never denied.

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Hi Venkat,
Did you get a reply. I am in the same position.

This app is totally incorrect. Current dropbox guidelines say that if you have had a previous US visa (F1/H1B) then you can book a dropbox date even if you don’t qualify for 48 month rule. For eg, in my case my previous H1B visa expired in Sept 2018 and I booked a date for my dropbox appt in Mar 2023. I answered all the questions on USTraveldocs website as per my information and it let me book dropbox appt. Latest Department of State directive for Interview waivers is as follows Important Announcement on Waivers of the Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas

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Hi @Shreesha_Rao

Thanks for your feedback.
Can you please help us understand your case so that we can fix the app (if there is a problem indeed).

  1. Did you hold a non-H1B visa that was approved earlier than 2018 or after Sep 2018?
  2. Your last H1B visa stamp expired in Sep 2018. If you did not hold any other visa approval, then 48 month rule should apply. Did you answer the questions on USTravelDocs correctly?

Did you hold a non-H1B visa that was approved earlier than 2018 or after Sep 2018? - I have held an F1 visa in 2011 and 2 H1B stamps (Issued in 2013 and 2016). Latest H1B stamp is the one that expired in Sept 2018. When I used AM22 app, I only mentioned about my latest H1B stamp (that expired in 2018) and it said I was not eligible for dropbox which is wrong.
Your last H1B visa stamp expired in Sep 2018. If you did not hold any other visa approval, then 48 month rule should apply. Did you answer the questions on USTravelDocs correctly? - It seems like AM22 updated the app yesterday. I took the questionnaire again today and the app told me that I am eligible for dropbox. Please keep updating the app based on the latest dropbox requirements so that people are not confused.

Thanks for your feedback @Shreesha_Rao

Yes, our team went back and re-checked all the scenarios and did update the rules after the concerns you shared.

We really appreciate your time that you took to share your view point. It has helped us fix the issues and serve the community at large.

Keep up the good work.

Please my us visa expired on 21stNov.2018. I want to know if I’m eligible for the 48months extended Dropbox progam?

No prob. Just FYI, DOS extended the “Any prior visa” rule until Dec 31, 2023. This press release just came out on Dec 23, 2022. 48-month rule also has been extended indefinitely until further notice.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/important-announcement-on-waivers-of-the-interview-requirement-for-certain-nonimmigrant-visas.html

Yes, you do qualify under the “any prior US visa” rule. Please check the link in my reply above for the dropbox eligibility requirements

Hello, my latest H1-B visa was expired on 28th Oct 2018 but app shows i am eligble for Dropbox (I provided approximate dropbox date as July 2023). How am i eligble for dropbox when my last visa was expired more than 48 months?

There are new rules that count the 48 month expiry separately and the issuance of any visa in the past for H-1B visa. Your case may fall in any one of those.

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My H1b visa expired Sept 2016 am I still eligible for interview waiver if I meet all other conditions

Hello,

I have a question, I had. 221G in the past with approval after a week.

Now, I am in the process of scheduling a new visa stamp appointment in India.

Question:

  1. In DS 160- HAS YOUR VISA EVER BEEN REFUSED? - what should be my answer, some articles and my attorney says it should be YES, but I’m still in dilemma

  2. While booking Drop box- same question - HAS YOUR VISA EVER BEEN REFUSED? - Is 221g considered a refusal and will I be eligible For Dropbox still?

As per my opinion, you can choose ‘no’.

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