US Visa Applications Must Be Submitted from Country of Residence or Nationality

Scope of the Rule and Initial Confusion

• New policy: most nonimmigrant (and recently immigrant) visa applicants must apply in their country of nationality or legal residence.
• Some commenters initially misunderstood it as affecting visa‑exempt travelers (e.g., Canadians, Visa Waiver Program); others clarified those groups are unaffected.
• Official notice says existing appointments are honored, but one commenter claims some were cancelled during rollout confusion.

Comparisons to Other Countries’ Practices

• Several point out Schengen and many other states already require applications in the country of residence/nationality, often with proof of lawful residence.
• Others counter that in many systems this is a consulate-level rule rather than a hard national requirement, and that it’s often possible to “shop” for a consulate that accepts non‑residents.
• Debate over how strictly Schengen and Japan apply these rules, especially for non‑Western travelers.

Political and Economic Interpretations

• Some see the change as part of a broader anti‑immigration, xenophobic posture that plays to a particular political base, even at the cost of economic harm.
• Concerns that US universities, housing, and travel exports will suffer, especially if student inflows drop.
• Others argue the government has no obligation to protect university business models and that policymakers are moving toward tighter borders like other Western countries.

Operational / Security Rationale

• Ex‑diplomat describes strong benefits from concentrating visa work in posts that deeply understand local fraud patterns, languages, and documents.
• Argues third‑country national (TCN) cases in places like Canada/Mexico often lacked context, increased fraud risk, and forced remote consultations.
• Some commenters emphasize widespread lying/overstays and see complexity as a necessary filter; others ask for data and question the scale of abuse.

Impact on Specific Groups

• H‑1B holders, especially Chinese nationals with one‑year visa stickers, are hit hard: they must now fly home instead of using Canada/Mexico for renewals.
• Commenters describe this as “cruel” absent a fully scaled domestic visa renewal program.
• Haiti example: critics say requiring Haitians to go via Nassau is unrealistic; defenders note there is no functioning visa operation in Haiti and argue that anyone able to reach the US can reach Nassau.

Domestic Visa Renewal and US-Specific Oddities

• Several argue the real fix is domestic visa renewal, common elsewhere, so long‑term residents don’t need to leave merely to re‑stamp.
• Discussion highlights US distinction between “visa” (for entry) and “status” (for staying), unlike many countries where they’re unified and extendable in‑country.
• Some see the consulate‑only visa issuance rule and mandatory in‑person interviews as making the US uniquely burdensome, even if the residency requirement now matches other systems.