The State Department recently announced limitations on where Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants can schedule their visa interview. The Applicant’s country of residence or country of nationality will govern where the interview is scheduled, with limited exceptions. This reduces flexibility for Applicants, who may have previously been able to schedule an interview in a third country with shorter waiting times or as a part of pre-existing international travel plans.
While the new guidance is similar for Immigrant Visa Applicants and Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants, there are some important distinctions.
Immigrant Visa Applicants (applying for entry as a Lawful Permanent Resident)
- When is the guidance effective? November 1, 2025.
- Are there exceptions? Yes. Rare exceptions may be made for humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.
- What if I already have an appointment in a third country? The Department of State indicated that existing appointments will generally not be cancelled. However, there are no explicit guarantees that existing appointments will be honored.
- What if my country of nationality or residence does not have a U.S. government embassy that conducts visa interviews? Your interview will be scheduled at the post identified here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/adjudicating-applicants-in-their-country-of-residence-aug-28-2025.html.
- Do I need to prove residency if my interview is in my country of residence? If you are requesting to interview in a location based on residency, the National Visa Center (NVC) may request additional information to confirm the location of the Applicant’s residence.
Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants (H, L, E, F, J, etc.)
- When is the guidance effective? Immediately.
- Are there exceptions? Yes. Rare exceptions may be made for humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons. Also, the new guidance does not apply to Applicants for diplomatic visas such as A, G, C-2, C-3, NATO visas (regardless of classification), or applicants for any diplomatic visa for travel covered by the UN Headquarters Agreement.
- What if I already have an appointment in a third country? The Department of State indicated that existing appointments will generally not be cancelled. However, there are no guarantees that existing appointments will be honored. Additionally, the State Department’s new guidelines provide that Applicants with interviews outside their country of residence or nationality may “find it harder to qualify for the visa.” So, these interviews may be more intensive.
- What if my country of nationality or residence does not have a U.S. government embassy that conducts visa interviews? Your interview will be scheduled at the post identified by the State Department in this notice: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/adjudicating-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-in-their-country-of-residence-sep-6-2025.html
- Do I need to prove residency if my interview is in my country of residence? The State Department’s guidance does provide that Applicants must be able to demonstrate residence in the country where they are applying for their visa.
FordMurray will continue to monitor updates and additional guidance from the State Department. We encourage you to reach out to your attorney for further guidance if you have an upcoming visa appointment or will soon be scheduling a visa appointment.
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