Travel News
Current Status of U.S. Visa Services By Country – September 2024 - BOUNDLESS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
The coronavirus pandemic led to the suspension of U.S. visa services around the world. As restrictions have eased, most U.S. embassies and consulates have resumed certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments. Learn the current status of visa services in your country:
| COUNTRY | VISA SERVICES |
| Philippines | U.S. Embassy Manila has resumed all routine visa services. For some visa classes, wait times for interviews are longer than before the pandemic. The embassy is prioritizing applicants with urgent travel needs and those holding certain visa types. Click here for more info. Also see our Guide to Immigrating from The Philippines. |
| Mexico | Non-immigrant visas are currently being processed by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico, though applicants should expect longer wait times. They may also apply for an interview waiver, if their visa has expired during the previous 48 months.
Non-resident applicants are not able to make ordinary appointments at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico. Visa application fees have also increased (as of June 2023).
The U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez has initiated thousands of visa interviews since re-establishing normal visa operations. Check here for info. Also see our guide to immigrating from Mexico.
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| United Kingdom | The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the U.K. have resumed routine visa services, but appointments remain limited and there is a backlog of applicants. The Embassy is unable to respond to questions via email or phone. Check here for updates. |
| Israel | The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv branch office have reduced services for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Those requiring travel to the U.S. due to an emergency can submit a request for an expedited non-immigrant visa. Existing applicants will receive an email should their appointment be delayed or canceled. The embassy in Israel has also noted that those seeking emergency services may apply at any U.S. embassy or consulate in other countries. Visit the Embassy website for more details. |
| Dominican Republic | The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo is switching to a new online visa appointment scheduling tool on September 23, 2024. Its Visa Application Center (VAC) address will also change on this date to the SAMBIL shopping center. The Embassy will update this page when new information is available.
The embassy in Santo Domingo is now interviewing all categories of immigrant visas. Limited routine work and student visas services have resumed. The embassy has resumed in-person interviews for tourist visa applicants, privileging those whose interviews were canceled in 2020. Many people have applied for tourist visas, so not every applicant will receive an appointment. Every week, on Wednesdays at 8am, the Embassy opens up new appointments for tourist visas. Visit the Embassy website for more information or read check out this related site for U.S. visa updates. |
| Thailand | resumed routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services, though the Consulate Chiang Mai does not currently handle immigrant visa applications. Note that because of backlogs, there may be longer wait times. Applicants are also able to renew their visa by mail.
Immigrant visa applicants at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok will be turned away if they fail to bring all required documents to their interview or have not uploaded them to the CEAC system. These applicants will be asked to reschedule their interview. |
| Sudan | The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum remains closed as violence continues in Sudan. Follow the State Department’s guidance on what to do if you need to leave the country. |
| Brazil | The U.S. Embassy and consulates in Brazil have resumed routine nonimmigrant visa appointments. The U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro processes all immigrant visas. National interest exceptions are no longer required to enter the United States. Immigrant visa services are available but wait times are long. Learn about immigrating to the U.S. from Brazil. |
| Cuba | The U.S. Embassy in Havana resumed full immigrant visa processing and consular services in 2023 for the first time since 2017.
Starting August 19, the Embassy expanded visa services to include certain temporary work and exchange program visas. Cubans with approved temporary work petitions or certificates of eligibility for exchange programs can now schedule visa interviews in Havana. This does not apply to B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas — Cubans must still visit another U.S. Embassy or consulate to process these visas.
The expanded visa categories include:
H: Temporary workers or trainees
J: Exchange visitors
L: Intracompany transferees
O: Workers with extraordinary ability or achievement
P: Athletes, artists, and entertainers
Q: International cultural exchange participants
R: Religious workers |
| India | The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai has reopened all immigrant visa services. Routine nonimmigrant services remain limited at U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the consulates Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Learn more about immigrating from India. |
| China | U.S. Embassy in Beijing and Consulates Guangzhou and Shenyang has resumed routine consular services. U.S. Consulate Shanghai will only offer emergency services until further notice. The number of open appointments will depend on the staffing at any particular time. |
| Russia | U.S. Embassy Moscow has suspended all immigrant visa services “due to the Russian government prohibiting the Embassy from employing foreign nationals in any capacity.” The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw is processing immigrant visas for residents of Russia. Visa services at U.S. Consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok remain suspended due to critically low staffing. If you have already received an appointment notice for somewhere other than Warsaw, email [email protected] to have your case transferred. The Department of State has designated U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty as processing centers for Russian IR-5 (parent of a U.S. citizen) immigrant visa applicants. For more details, please visit the official website.
Note the U.S. Embassy in Russia does not process refugee or asylum applications in the U.S. Learn more about seeking asylum or refugee status here. |
| Vietnam | The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi has resumed all visa services. Nonimmigrant and immigrant visa interviews have slowly started to resume. |
| Vietnam | The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi has resumed all visa services. Nonimmigrant and immigrant visa interviews have slowly started to resume. |
