United States Embassy in India announced on Tuesday, December 23, that routine consular services will not be available from Wednesday, December 24, 2025, to Friday, December 26, 2025. The Embassy and all US Consulates in India will remain closed during this period. The closure has been announced in line with a Presidential Executive Order, according to a post shared by the US Embassy in India.
Closure linked to Presidential executive order
“The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, 2025, to Friday, December 26, 2025, in accordance with the Presidential Executive Order providing for the closure of executive departments and agencies of the federal government on these dates,” read the post by the US Embassy in India on X. The announcement comes days after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week directing the closure of federal government offices on these dates.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, 2025, to Friday, December 26, 2025, in accordance with the Presidential Executive Order providing for the closure of executive departments and agencies of the federal government on these dates.… pic.twitter.com/5jUIEro5gK
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 23, 2025
Under the executive order, all executive departments and agencies of the US federal government will be closed, and employees will be excused from duty on December 24 and December 26. Exceptions apply only where operations are required for “national security, defence, or other public need.” Christmas Day, December 25, is already a standard federal holiday.When combined with the weekend, the executive order effectively creates a five-day holiday break for many federal workers.
Employees to receive regular pay
According to reports on the executive order, eligible employees who are excused from duty on these days will continue to receive their regular pay, as though they were working. The main beneficiaries of this decision are executive branch federal employees covered under holiday and premium pay provisions of federal law, according to the US Office of Personnel Management.
Some employees, including those involved in national security, law enforcement, and essential public safety services, may still be required to work during this period. Those who do work will be entitled to premium pay.The holiday designation does not automatically apply to private-sector employees, state or local government workers, or contract employees.Employers outside the federal government may choose to recognise these dates as paid holidays at their own discretion, Fox News reported.