Effective August 5, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan will accept a limited number of F1 student visa renewal applications through the Interview Waiver (IW) program. This special exemption applies to F1 applicants who meet ALL of the following qualifications:
- The applicant is an Azerbaijani citizen holding an Azerbaijani passport who regularly resides in Azerbaijan; AND
- The applicant’s previous F1 visa expired within the past 12 calendar months; AND
- They have a valid I-20 and are in ‘active’ SEVIS status; AND
- “Clearance received” was not printed on their most recent F1 visa; AND
- They do not have any visa refusals since their last F1 visa issuance (of any visa category, from any U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate); AND
- They are returning to the same school; AND
- Their grades reflect normal progress towards graduation.
Applicants must include a copy of their academic transcripts with their application materials.
Some students who submit their applications by courier may require an interview, which will be scheduled when the Consular Section reopens for routine services.