The US Embassy in India has put out a plain reminder for those travelling with their children: there are no exceptions by age when it comes to the consular interview. Whether the applicant is a newborn or 17, he or she must appear in person. A parent or guardian cannot take the child’s place at the window.
What exactly is the rule?
In the embassy’s view, a visa will not be issued until an officer has had a physical look at the applicant. This is required from the first days of a child’s life until the day before the 18th birthday. One cannot fulfil the interview on behalf of the child.
This clarification is part of a more general hardening of interview waiver norms, including the end of blanket waivers for those under 14. The embassy is putting an end to a common error where parents show up without the minor on the assumption that a toddler or infant is exempt.
Why the interview matters
It is one of the most consequential parts of the visa process, the embassy maintains. The in-person element is what supports national security and public safety. As they put it, 'Keeping America's border secure is of utmost importance’ and the vetting is there to ensure those standards are met.
A recent Visa Friday video from the mission left no room for doubt. Newborn or near 18, the child has to be there. Age is not an acceptable excuse to forgo the interview.
What families should expect
At adjudication, the minor is to be presented to the officer on the consular premises. An application cannot be finalised by the officers without seeing the applicant, so even a sleeping infant in a stroller must be physically present.
How to plan your appointment
If you are applying in any of our cities from New Delhi and Mumbai to Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, factor the child into your logistics from the start. Make sure you do not have back-to-back plans that would make it difficult to get the minor to the visa window.
A minor cannot come to an appointment unaccompanied; a legal guardian or parent must be there. Should only one parent attend, it is wise to have formal consent from the other on hand to head off any questions during adjudication or at entry.
Have the following ready before you go to the window:
– A passport for the child with at least six months validity past your intended stay.
– The DS-160 confirmation for the minor.
– Your letter of appointment for the interview.
– The original government birth certificate to prove parentage.
– Passport photos of the right size and to US visa spec.
– Copies of the parents’ applications or visas as well as proof of finances and travel.
Common pitfalls, answered
You may hear some ask if very young ones can be let off the hook. The embassy says no. The rule is in effect for all minors up to the point they turn 18.
Then there is the notion that a parent who is well-prepared can stand in for the child. Not allowed. The applicant is the child and the officer must see them. To do otherwise is to risk having the matter put on hold or cancelled.
Why this reminder matters now
Consular sections see it often enough: families arrive minus the minor and have to reschedule in a last-minute scramble. It is a waste of time and stress for an itinerary that was carefully put together. Best to bring the child and not have to deal with such setbacks.
Bottom line for Indian parents
Do not think of this as some new penalty or perk but as the way visas are done. When you are charting your child’s US travel, the in-person interview is something you have to build your day around.
The guidance from the embassy is straightforward. Every child must be there in person for the interview. Heed it and your family’s application will stay on course in keeping with US standards.
