fireandbudd
is this really true??
No. For international applications, most interviews are by invitation anyway. If they don't invite you to the in-person interviews, if your application is strong you'll get an invite for a skype interview.
Like any program, slots get filled fairly quickly in the first and second rounds, so you're at an advantage to apply early, especially if you're from an over represented demographic like Indian applicants. But if you are a strong candidate, R3 is still doable. Don't lose hope