AAU, APLU, and 24 other higher education associations signed on to a community letter to the Department of State urging them to extend or make permanent the current flexibilities to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants, including international students and scholars applying for F-1 and J-1 visas.
The waiver, established during the COVID-19 pandemic, applies only to applicants who meet certain conditions, including if they previously held a visa, were never previously denied a visa, or are citizens of a country that participates in the visa waiver program. In addition, applicants renewing a visa in the same classification within four years of the prior visa’s expiration are eligible. The letter emphasizes waiver's role in helping all international students and scholars and the U.S. by faster visa processing while maintaining national security.