Update on Availability of Visa Services at U.S. Embassies and Consulates

Routine visa services at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide have been indefinitely suspended for nearly three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has restricted the ability of many people to safely reenter or depart the United States. At the time of this writing, the Department of State (DOS) has not released any formal updates indicating when global consular services will reopen.

However, we have heard of persons successfully booking appointments online at certain consular posts for July or later, which may be a positive indication of plans for visa services to resume. Nonetheless, the actual reopening of appointment services is subject to change, and dependent on many factors, including the specific location of the post, the re-staffing of consular officers, and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in the given region. We strongly recommend that employees contact our office prior to making any international travel plans, including reentry into the United States.