Effective November 1, 2025, the US Department of State will require immigrant visa applicants to attend their visa interviews in the consular district of their country of residence. Alternatively, applicants may request to interview in their country of nationality, subject to approval. This policy change is designed to streamline processing and ensure applicants are interviewed in locations where they have established ties.
Key Changes to Interview Scheduling
- Residence-Based Scheduling: The National Visa Center (NVC) will begin scheduling immigrant visa interviews based on the applicant’s country of residence or, if requested, their country of nationality.
- Designated Posts for Suspended Operations: Applicants residing in countries where routine visa services are suspended must apply at designated immigrant visa processing posts. See the list below.
- Existing Appointments: Previously scheduled immigrant visa interviews will generally remain unchanged and will not be rescheduled or canceled.
- Post-to-Post Transfers: Applicants wishing to transfer their case to a different consular district after scheduling must contact the NVC via the Public Inquiry Form. Applicants should not contact consular sections directly.
- Residence Verification: If an applicant requests an interview outside their assigned consular district or country of nationality, the NVC may require documentation to confirm residence or determine if an exception is warranted.
- Exceptions: Limited exceptions may be granted for humanitarian, medical, or foreign policy reasons.
- Diversity Visa Applicants: These changes apply to DV-2026 program participants.
Designated Immigrant Visa Processing Posts
Applicants from countries with suspended or paused visa operations should apply at the designated post listed below: (Updated on October 10, 2025)
| RESIDENT OF | DESIGNATED LOCATION(S) |
| Afghanistan (except Special Immigrant Visas) | Islamabad |
| Belarus | Warsaw |
| Burkina Faso | Lome |
| Eritrea | Addis Ababa, Nairobi |
| Haiti | Nassau |
| Iran | Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Yerevan |
| Libya | Tunis |
| Niger | Abidjan |
| North Korea | Guangzhou |
| Russia | Warsaw, Almaty (IR-5), Tashkent (IR-5) |
| Somalia | Nairobi |
| South Sudan | Nairobi |
| Sudan | Cairo |
| Syria | Amman, Beirut (for Palestinians with Syrian Travel Documents) |
| Venezuela | Bogota |
| Yemen | Djibouti |
| Zimbabwe | Johannesburg |
Additional Resources
Applicants are encouraged to visit the websites of relevant US embassies and consulates for detailed information on visa application procedures, local requirements, and operating status.
This supersedes previous guidance on visa application requirements, including designated visa processing posts.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.