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:
Important:
- Effective June 18, 2025: A new federal policy requires that individuals applying for F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to “public” to facilitate vetting processes.
- Effective June 9, 2025: The U.S. government implemented a nationwide travel ban, limiting or prohibiting entry and visa issuance to nationals of certain countries. To view the full list of countries affected by the policy, read our article about the ban, and click here for more travel ban-related FAQs.
- Effective May 2, 2025: All nonimmigrant visa applicants must submit their DS-160 form at least two business days before their scheduled interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Additionally, the DS-160 confirmation barcode (beginning with “AA”) must exactly match the one used to book your visa interview. Otherwise you won’t be permitted to attend your interview, and you’ll need to reschedule using the correct DS-160 confirmation number.
- Effective March 11, 2025: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer require that immigrant visa applicants receive a COVID-19 vaccine dose. More details are available here.
| COUNTRY | VISA SERVICES |
| Brazil | The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil have resumed all routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. The U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro processes all immigrant visas. Effective July 1, 2025, immigrant visa applicants who show up to their U.S. consulate appointment without all the necessary original documents will not be interviewed and must reschedule their appointment. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide to immigrating to the U.S. from Brazil. |
| Canada | The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada have resumed U.S. citizen services and most nonimmigrant visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide on immigrating to the U.S. from Canada. |
| China | The U.S. Embassy in Beijing and Consulates Guangzhou and Shenyang has resumed routine consular services. The U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou is the only consulate that processes U.S. immigrant visas in China for citizens and residents of China. Nonimmigrant visa appointments have resumed at U.S. Consulate Shanghai. As of February 3, 2025, new nonimmigrant visa interview appointments are available on a limited basis at U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan on specific days. Starting June 10, 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants under age 14 in China must attend an in-person interview with at least one parent. The Interview Waiver process is no longer available. Appointments made before June 10 may still use the waiver, but in-person interviews may still be required. Applicants must bring the following original documents to their interview: child’s birth certificate, household registration book (hukou, if applicable), both parents’ passports (current and former), and parents’ marriage certificate (if applicable). Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our resources on immigrating to the U.S. from China. |
| Colombia | The U.S. Embassy Bogotá has resumed routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Cuba | The U.S. Embassy in Havana has resumed processing all immigrant visas and offers limited nonimmigrant visa services. This does not include B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas (Cubans must still visit another U.S. embassy or consulate to process these visas). The expanded nonimmigrant visa categories include: A & G: Diplomats and foreign government officials 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 Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Dominican Republic | The U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo has resumed all routine visa services. All VAC appointments now take place at the SAMBIL Shopping Center. Every week on Wednesdays at 8am, the Embassy opens up new appointments for tourist visas. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| India | The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai has reopened all immigrant visa services. As of March 2024, all B1/B2 interview waiver appointments have been centralized at U.S. Embassy New Delhi. Due to this change, waiver appointments are now limited at the Consulates Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. The U.S. Embassy & Consulate in India has migrated to a new customer service platform. Applicants may now direct any visa-related questions to support-india@usvisascheduling.com. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide to immigrating to the U.S. from India. |
| Indonesia | The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta has resumed all routine visa services. Those seeking nonimmigrant visas can apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta or at the U.S. Consulate in Surabaya. Applicants renewing a previously issued U.S. visa in categories like B1/B2, C1/D, J, M, H-1, H-3, H-4, non-blanket L, O, P, or Q may be required to attend an in-person interview. If they meet the interview waiver criteria, they can submit their documents at designated courier drop-off locations. Nonimmigrant applicants needing a translator must have prior approval from a consular officer. For immigrant applicants, any accompanying person is allowed to enter the Embassy by sending a request via email to JakIV@state.gov at least one week before their interview. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Israel | The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv branch office have resumed all routine visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Lebanon | The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has resumed all routine visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Lithuania | Effective December 2, 2024: The US Embassy in Vilnius will no longer provide routine immigrant visa services. The U.S. Department of State has designated the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden as the processing location for immigrant (immediate relative and family preference), fiancée/fiancé(K), V92/V93 (follow to join asylees/refugees), and Diversity Visa (DV) applications for residents of Lithuania. Individuals who were already interviewed at the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius will have their case processed to completion in Lithuania. To learn more about how to apply for a nonimmigrant U.S. visa, visit the Global Support Services (GSS) website. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Mexico | All immigrant visa interviews, including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, are scheduled regularly at the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez based on case completion order. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico offer nonimmigrant visa services, including routine appointments and interview waivers for certain renewals. Wait times have improved significantly post-pandemic, and some applicants with future appointments may be eligible to reschedule sooner. Applicants with urgent travel needs can request an emergency appointment by following the guidance provided here. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide to immigrating from Mexico. |
| Nigeria | The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria is offering immigrant visa services for all types but is prioritizing certain cases, including (but not limited to) spouses and children of U.S. citizens and those affected by 2020 cancellations. Effective January 1, 2025, applicants must visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during the immigrant visa process. The first visit is for an in-person document Review with a consular staff member. The second visit is for the visa interview with a consular officer. Read more here. The Embassy and Consulate General continue to provide nonimmigrant visa services, prioritizing applicants with urgent travel needs. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide to immigrating to the U.S. from Nigeria. |
| Philippines | U.S. Embassy Manila has resumed all routine visa services. Starting May 19, the U.S. Embassy in Manila will no longer conduct immigrant visa interviews for applicants who arrive without all necessary original documents. Those missing documents will need to reschedule, and the next available appointment could be delayed by several months. Read the Embassy’s FAQ page to learn more about this change. Visit the Embassy website for more information. Also see our guide to immigrating from The Philippines. |
| Russia | U.S. Embassy Moscow has suspended all visa services due to restrictions by the Russian government. Visa services at U.S. Consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok remain suspended due to critically low staffing. Russian nationals seeking immigrant visas must apply through the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. If you have already received an appointment notice for somewhere other than Warsaw, email support-Poland@ustraveldocs.com to have your case transferred. In addition, 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. Those seeking to obtain a nonimmigrant may continue applying at any U.S. embassy or consulate where they can obtain an appointment. 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. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| 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. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Thailand | The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Thailand has resumed all routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Ukraine | The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has resumed processing certain immigrant visas, including K-1 visas and DV cases. It has also begun processing some nonimmigrant categories like H-2B and C1/D visas, in addition to a small number of tourist visas. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv remains closed for all other non-immigrant visa services at this time. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| United Kingdom | The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the U.K. have resumed all routine visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Venezuela | The U.S. Embassy Caracas and all consular services are suspended. All Venezuelan nationals should visit the U.S. Embassy in Colombia’s website for visa needs. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |
| Vietnam | The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi has resumed all visa services. Visit the Embassy website for more information. |