US Tourist Visa Application in Summer 2025

[wahlberg79]

Hi all,

I am trying to figure out if my wife and son needs an interview or not at the US embassy in UK.
Their visas expired in 2023. When I checked https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb, I managed to get to the Pay Visa Fees page and on that page it states that there are no appointments available. Does this mean they will have to go through interview process ?

What I am confused with is, on this website, https://uk.usembassy.gov/interview-waiver-program/, it says the following.

The determination on whether you qualify for the program will be made through the Visa Appointment Service website once you have answered the qualifying questions.

Does it refer to the questions about the passport number, application number and previously issued US visa info ? Do they make the decision on the requirement for an interview based on those questions.

Thanks in advance

[Ticktack]

Hi all,

I am trying to figure out if my wife and son needs an interview or not at the US embassy in UK.
Their visas expired in 2023Visas to where?? US I presume!. When I checked https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb, I managed to get to the Pay Visa Fees page and on that page it states that there are no appointments available There's been limited dates for years now.. Does this mean they will have to go through interview process They probably would. Everyone does, don't they? except in some countries where they have a dropbox option.?

What I am confused with is, on this website, https://uk.usembassy.gov/interview-waiver-program/, it says the following.

The determination on whether you qualify for the program will be made through the Visa Appointment Service website once you have answered the qualifying questions.

Does it refer to the questions about the passport number, application number and previously issued US visa info ? Do they make the decision on the requirement for an interview based on those questions. You'll need to try it to find out. Everything is based on citizenship.

Thanks in advance

[jakeriordan]

Good question — the interview waiver rules can be confusing, especially since they depend heavily on past visa history and current passport details. I know a few people who’ve had to go through the full process again even after a short expiration gap, while others were allowed to skip interviews via the dropbox option.

From my side, I've seen this come up when clients are traveling to the U.S. not just for tourism, but also to explore business opportunities — like meeting with business brokers or looking into small business acquisitions. In such cases, clarity on visa steps becomes even more important.

We’ve seen this a lot recently at Peterson Acquisitions, especially for people flying in from the UK. Hope you and your family get clarity soon — the system isn’t always clear, but once you complete the online forms, it usually tells you if the interview is required.