Do I need an in-person interview to renew my H-1B or L-1 visa?

Generally, yes. Under guidance effective October 1, 2025, most nonimmigrant visa applicants must interview in person, including H-1B, L-1, O-1, F, M and J renewals that once qualified for dropbox processing. Applicants under 14 or over 79 generally also require interviews.

Who still qualifies for a visa interview waiver?

Only a few groups, each with conditions: diplomatic and official classifications; B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card renewals within 12 months of the prior visa's expiration, where that visa was issued for full validity and the applicant was at least 18; and H-2A renewals on the same terms. Applicants must also apply in their country of nationality or residence, have no prior refusal and show no apparent ineligibility. Qualifying does not guarantee a waiver.

Can I apply for an E-2 visa at a consulate in a third country?

It is risky and increasingly limited. Since September 2025 the State Department has directed nonimmigrant visa applicants to apply in their country of nationality or residence, and it warns that applying elsewhere can make qualifying harder. Third-country filings that were once routine, such as a Colombian investor applying in Madrid, now need a specific reason and careful planning.

Travel Ban and Consular Disruption Protocol

A protocol for approving international travel by sponsored employees, and for when one is delayed abroad.

What it is

Travel with an expired visa stamp can keep a sponsored employee abroad longer than the business planned. This template sets a standing inventory, the checks to run before any international trip, the interview waiver groups that remain, the steps when an employee is delayed abroad and a model notice for a new proclamation or consular change. Lidice Samper reviewed it, and names and time periods are left as fill-ins.

Who it helps

HR and mobility teams that approve international travel
Employers with nationals of countries listed in Proclamation 10998
Managers who staff projects around visa appointments

What is inside

The rules the protocol is built on, with their effective dates
Eight checks before any international trip
Steps for an employee who is delayed abroad
A model notice to employees
An editable Word file with the company's choices marked in brackets

This tool is part of Samper Law Insider. Access is free with a work email, and one registration opens every tool.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need an in-person interview to renew my H-1B or L-1 visa?
Generally, yes. Under guidance effective October 1, 2025, most nonimmigrant visa applicants must interview in person, including H-1B, L-1, O-1, F, M and J renewals that once qualified for dropbox processing. Applicants under 14 or over 79 generally also require interviews.
Accurate as of September 24, 2026 | From The Interview Waiver Is Effectively Gone. Your H-1B and L-1 Renewals Now Require an In-Person Appointment.
Who still qualifies for a visa interview waiver?
Only a few groups, each with conditions: diplomatic and official classifications; B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card renewals within 12 months of the prior visa's expiration, where that visa was issued for full validity and the applicant was at least 18; and H-2A renewals on the same terms. Applicants must also apply in their country of nationality or residence, have no prior refusal and show no apparent ineligibility. Qualifying does not guarantee a waiver.
Accurate as of September 24, 2026 | From The Interview Waiver Is Effectively Gone. Your H-1B and L-1 Renewals Now Require an In-Person Appointment.
Can I apply for an E-2 visa at a consulate in a third country?
It is risky and increasingly limited. Since September 2025 the State Department has directed nonimmigrant visa applicants to apply in their country of nationality or residence, and it warns that applying elsewhere can make qualifying harder. Third-country filings that were once routine, such as a Colombian investor applying in Madrid, now need a specific reason and careful planning.
Accurate as of October 5, 2026 | From Where You Apply for an E-2 Now Matters as Much as What You File

General information, not legal advice. The template must be adapted with counsel before a company adopts it. Registering or using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.