The United States Department of State has announced a sweeping policy change for non-immigrant visa applicants, requiring them to schedule interviews strictly at U.S. embassies or consulates in their country of nationality or residence.
The directive, published on September 6, 2025, on the State Department’s official visa portal, takes immediate effect and overrides all previous guidelines on visa processing locations.
According to the notice, nationals from countries where the U.S. does not conduct routine visa operations must apply at designated embassies or consulates, unless they legally reside elsewhere. The list of designated processing locations includes conflict-affected or diplomatically restricted nations such as Afghanistan (Islamabad), Belarus (Vilnius, Warsaw), Cuba (Georgetown), Iran (Dubai), Russia (Astana, Warsaw), Venezuela (Bogota), and Yemen (Riyadh).
The new rules also introduce three key changes for applicants:
- Residence Proof: Applicants must show evidence of residence in the country where they are applying if the application is based on residency.
- Non-Refundable Fees: Fees paid for interviews scheduled outside one’s nationality or residence country will not be refunded or transferred, even if the application is unsuccessful.
- Longer Wait Times: Applicants applying outside their country of nationality or residence should expect significantly longer appointment delays.
While existing appointments will generally not be cancelled, the State Department stressed that the policy does not apply to diplomatic, NATO, or United Nations-related visa categories. Exceptions may still be granted on humanitarian, medical, or foreign policy grounds.
Officials said the change is aimed at streamlining visa adjudications, managing global backlogs, and tightening security protocols.
The update is expected to affect applicants worldwide, particularly those who previously sought appointments in neighbouring countries to bypass lengthy wait times.
In Nigeria, for instance, when interview slots were unavailable in Abuja or Lagos, applicants often turned to consulates in Cameroon, Ghana, Namibia, Ivory Coast, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic. Under the new policy, such alternatives are no longer permissible.
For many Nigerians and other nationals, the change is set to make an already difficult process more restrictive, given the significant delays often experienced at home embassies.
The State Department has advised applicants to monitor embassy and consulate websites in their countries of residence for updated requirements and appointment schedules.