The United States Department of State has announced a new policy requiring non-immigrant visa applicants to schedule their interviews only at embassies or consulates in their country of nationality or residence.
The directive, which took effect immediately on Saturday, overrides all previous instructions on designated visa processing centres.
“Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine non-immigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere,” the Department said in a statement.
Designated processing locations cover nationals from countries affected by conflict or diplomatic restrictions, including Afghanistan (Islamabad), Belarus (Vilnius, Warsaw), Cuba (Georgetown), Iran (Dubai), Russia (Astana, Warsaw), Venezuela (Bogota) and Yemen (Riyadh).
The policy also requires applicants to show proof of residence in the country where they apply if they are not applying in their home country.
The State Department warned that applicants who choose to apply outside their country of nationality or residence may face longer appointment wait times and stricter qualification hurdles. It added that fees already paid will not be refunded or transferred if an application becomes more difficult to process.
However, it clarified that existing interview appointments would “generally not be cancelled.”
