THE US embassy in Nicosia, in an effort to make it easier to travel to the United States to work, study and visit, will begin a programme to waive in-person interviews for some applicants, it said yesterday.
Certain first-time and renewal applicants can submit their applications without reporting for an interview, though a consular officer may decide that an interview is necessary to complete the case.
"We want to find ways to make the application process simpler," said Steve Royster, the US Consul in Nicosia, "and when we can make the decision without having to interview the applicant we can process visa applications more quickly and get travellers on their way to the US."
First-time applicants who are under age 14 and whose parents have valid US visas, as well as first time applicants over age 79 can apply without appearing in person if they deposit or deliver an application packet to the embassy, with a return envelope with enough postage to receive their documents back in the mail. Applicants can also renew their visas if they meet certain criteria. Interested applicants should visit http://go.usa.gov/YKuR for complete details.
Students, exchange visitors and journalists should visit http://cyprus.usembassy.gov for the documents that they must include.
Applicants seeking to apply without appearing in person must be careful to submit a complete application packet or the embassy will have to call them for an interview.