The Trump administration has put the border security of the United States at the center of its priorities, sending reinforcements to the borders and making changes to the visa issuance process. The State Department announced on March 5 a new visa restriction policy aimed at officials of foreign governments, including those related to immigration and customs, port and airport authorities, and those facilitating irregular entry to the U.S.
The measure will apply to those who violate immigration laws or facilitate the passage of foreigners across the southwestern border without proper procedures. This new policy complements the existing 3C policy that affects private sector actors providing services to foreigners who irregularly arrive in the U.S.
Another important change was implemented on February 18 by updating interview waivers for certain categories of non-immigrant visa applicants. For example, consular officials may waive the interview requirement for applicants for diplomatic or official visas and for certain categories such as A, C3, G, and NATO, as well as for those whose previous visa expired in the last 12 months.
To be eligible for the interview waiver, applicants must meet certain criteria, such as submitting the application in their country of nationality or residence and not having unresolved previous visa denials. Despite these waivers, consular officials may still require in-person interviews in certain cases or under specific circumstances.
