Applying for a US visa? 6 changes UAE applicants must look out for in 2025

Dubai: UAE residents planning a trip to the United States will face a more stringent visa application process starting in September, as the U.S. Department of State rolls back several pandemic-related policies that were introduced during the pandemic.

The changes, enforced by the Trump administration, aim to tighten the inflow of visitors into the country and will impact most applicants, including those who were previously exempt from interviews.

The new US government states that these changes are also aimed at strengthening national security. The changes are also influenced by a broader political push to tighten legal immigration and increase scrutiny of all visa applicants.

Here are four key changes that UAE applicants should be aware of:

Beginning September 2, 2025, most non-immigrant visa applicants in the UAE will be required to attend an in-person interview at either the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai.

This marks a significant shift from the pandemic-era policies that allowed many travellers to skip the interview stage.

One of the most significant changes is the elimination of age-based interview exemptions. Previously, children under the age of 14 and adults over 79 were automatically waived from the interview requirement.

Under the new rules, these applicants will now be required to attend an in-person interview, alongside all other non-immigrant visa applicants.

While some interview waivers for B1/B2 (tourist/business) visa renewals will still be available, the criteria have become much stricter. To qualify for a waiver, applicants must meet a series of conditions, including:

It is important to note that even if an applicant meets these conditions, a consular officer can still require an in-person interview at their discretion.

Effective November 1, 2025, a significant policy change will require most immigrant visa applicants to undergo an interview in their country of residence or nationality. The U.S. Department of State has announced that the National Visa Centre will be the sole authority for scheduling these appointments. Exceptions to this rule will be rare and granted only for specific, limited reasons.

Since late June, all applicants in the F, M, or J visa categories have been asked to set their social media accounts to ‘public’ to allow US Consular officers access to their online presence.

Moreover, applicants, primarily students, must list all their social media handles or usernames over the past five years in the DS-160 visa application form. The directive applies to foreign nationals applying for exchange visitor or student visas to the United States.

In this case, consular officers reviewing social media profiles are instructed to flag content that could raise national security concerns or indicate potential inadmissibility.

This includes posts or affiliations deemed hostile to the United States, support for extremist or terrorist groups, and violent, antisemitic, or otherwise threatening behaviour. Public posts, comments, likes, and even affiliations with certain online groups may be scrutinised.

Applicants are advised not to delete older posts or deactivate accounts immediately before applying, as this could be interpreted as an attempt to conceal information. Maintaining consistent usernames across platforms is also encouraged to avoid confusion or suspicion

Beginning on October 1, 2025, the U.S. will implement a new $250 "visa integrity fee” for visitors from most countries not on the visa waiver list.

This fee, part of the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” will be an additional charge on top of existing visa application fees. The new levy affects a wide range of non-immigrant visas, including those for tourists, students, and temporary workers (e.g., F-1, J-1, and H1-B visas).

For Indian nationals, the extra fee will increase the total cost of a B1/B2 tourist visa to approximately $425 and an average visa to around $473. The Department of Homeland Security may potentially reimburse the fee to visitors who comply with their visa terms and leave the country on time.

With these changes, applicants are advised to plan well in advance of their travel dates. The new rules are expected to result in longer wait times for appointments, so preparing all necessary documents and booking an interview slot in advance will be crucial.