The US Department of State has announced a modification in its interview location policy for immigrant visa applicants. The Department of State is now requiring immigrant visa applicants to interview in the consular district designated for their place of residence, or in their country of nationality if requested, with limited exceptions.
Effective November 1, 2025, the National Visa Center will schedule immigrant visa applicants in their country of residence or, if requested, country of nationality.
This modification applies to all immigrant visa categories, including Diversity Visa applicants for the DV-2026 program year. Applicants residing in countries without normal visa services must apply at specified processing sites.
Beginning November 1, 2025, candidates must be interviewed in the consular district where they currently reside. If they wish, they might choose to be interviewed in their own country.
However, residents of countries where routine visa operations are suspended or paused should apply at their designated immigrant visa processing post, unless the applicant is a national of another country with ongoing operations.
Also, the U.S. Department of State has announced that most non-immigrant visa applicants will be required to attend in-person interviews starting September 2, 2025.
Designated posts
Points to Note
Existing immigrant visa appointments will generally not be rescheduled or cancelled. Beginning immediately, if an applicant would like to transfer her or his immigrant visa case to a new consular district after the National Visa Center has scheduled the appointment, the applicant should contact the National Visa Center.
The applicants cannot contact the consular section directly and they have to use the National Visa Center’s Public Inquiry Form.
If an applicant requests to interview in a location other than the applicant’s assigned consular district or country of nationality, the National Visa Center may request additional information to confirm that location is an applicant’s place of residence, or to confirm whether an exception may be appropriate.