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What the new rule actually says
Under a new rule introduced by the Trump administration, US visa interviews for Indian nationals can now only be conducted in India — or in the country where you officially reside if you live outside India. You can no longer fly to a third country, book an appointment there, and give your interview. That workaround is no longer available.
Why this hits F1 students hardest
Over the last two months, a large number of Indian students have been travelling to countries like Dubai, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand specifically to attend their F1 visa interviews. The reason was simple: appointment slots in India had dried up. Going abroad was the fastest way to get seen. Many students I worked with took exactly this route — several went to Singapore and Vietnam, got their interviews, received approvals, and are already in the United States right now. This new rule shuts down that path entirely, which means appointment availability inside India is going to get significantly worse before it gets better. Wait times will increase.
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Book a Mock InterviewWhat happened to one of my students just yesterday
This is not a future concern — the rule is already in effect, and the consequences are already showing up. Just yesterday, I had a student who had travelled to Vietnam for his F1 interview. The consular officer went ahead with the interview because the appointment had already been booked before the rule came into force. The officer approved the visa. But then, after approving it, the officer told him that because of the new rule, he could not stamp the visa from Vietnam. He was instructed to return to India and request stamping there. Exactly how he will complete that process is still being worked out, and I will share updates as we learn more.
What you should do right now
If you were counting on a third-country interview to get around the slot shortage in India, you need to revisit your plan immediately. Do not book travel to another country for a visa appointment — those interviews will not result in a stamped visa even if you are approved. Focus on monitoring availability in India and stay close to any official updates on how cases like my student's Vietnam situation get resolved. I will continue sharing updates here as this rule develops.
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