U.S Visa Update 2025: Embassy Status By Country Open, Limited or Suspended

The U.S. visa landscape is undergoing major changes in 2025, with embassy operations varying widely across the globe. New federal policies have made the visa process more challenging. From enhanced social media scrutiny to removing the option for third-country nationals to apply for visas outside their country of nationality or residence—things have been constantly changing at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

In this video, you’ll learn about:

New Limits on Third-Country National Visa Applications
Enhanced Social Media Vetting Policies
Visa Limitations for Certain Countries under Travel Ban
Health Conditions, Including Obesity, May Affect Visa Approval
Operational Status at Consulates and Embassies Worldwide: Is your Embassy fully open?

New Limits on Third-Country National Visa Applications

Immigrant Visa Applicants Must Apply in Country of Nationality or Residence

Effective November 1, 2025, the State Department will require all immigrant visa applicants—including Diversity Visa applicants—to interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy in their country of residence or nationality. Exceptions will be rare and limited to urgent humanitarian, medical, or foreign-policy–driven cases.

Same Policy Extends to Nonimmigrants

The State Department announced a similar policy for nonimmigrant visa applicants. Effective September 2025, applicants must apply in their country of residence or nationality, meaning they can no longer choose a more convenient embassy—such as those in Mexico or Canada—unless they live there or hold that nationality. Limited exceptions apply for certain categories, including A and G visas, and for urgent humanitarian or medical emergencies.

For applicants from countries with limited or no U.S. consular presence—such as Afghanistan, Belarus, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe—designated embassies will continue to serve as regional processing hubs.

Tip: Booking a visa interview outside your country of nationality or residence may lead to rejection and could negatively affect future applications. ESTAs can be cancelled for those with visa denials on record. Avoid this by applying at the proper Consulate in your country of nationality or residence.

Enhanced Social Media Scrutiny for Student Visas (F, M, J)

Ensure your social media profiles are public. Private social media profiles can lead an officer to believe you are hiding derogatory information. Before applying, review your content to remove any posts that could conflict with U.S. national interests or otherwise lead an immigration officer to deny your visa.

Visa Limitations for Certain Countries under Travel Ban

President Trump’s travel ban effective June 9, 2025, temporarily bars entry to both immigrant and nonimmigrant travelers from 12 designated countries—including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—if they are outside the U.S. and do not hold a valid visa as of the effective date.

Key exceptions exist for lawful permanent residents, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, dual nationals, athletes and teams participating in major international events such as the Olympics and World Cup.

Visa interview appointments cannot be scheduled by nationals of the affected countries.

COVID Vaccine No Longer Required for Visa Applicants

Effective March 11, 2025, U.S. visa applicants are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of their application process. This update applies to both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories, simplifying entry requirements and eliminating the previous documentation requirement for proof of vaccination.

U.S. Consulates Can Deny Visas Based on Obesity, Chronic Illnesses

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently directed U.S. consular officers, via a diplomatic cable, to consider obesity as a potential reason for visa denial. Consular officers are instructed to specifically screen for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, which could lead to expensive long-term care and classify an applicant as a public charge.

The policy reflects an effort to prevent visa approval for individuals who might later rely on public assistance.

Operational Status of US Embassies Worldwide: Is Your Embassy Fully Open?

As global conditions stabilize, many U.S. embassies and consulates around the world have resumed full visa services, but operations vary significantly by location. While some posts are now offering routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments, others may still face staffing or logistical constraints. It’s important to check the current status of the U.S. mission in your country—delays, limited categories, or special rules could still apply based on local country conditions.

U.S. Embassies in Vietnam

The U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate Ho Chi Minh City have resumed routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, IR-1, and CR-1 visas.

Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Vietnam at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Nonimmigrant visas are receiving priority in Hanoi.

This post may receive cases from third country nationals who are either resident, or physically present, and able to remain for the required visa processing time.

U.S. Embassy London & Consulates in the United Kingdom

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom (London and Belfast) resumed routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services; however, visa interview appointments are being scheduled slowly. Applicants should expect longer-than-normal wait times for visa interviews.

If your case is waiting for an interview in London, we encourage you to follow up with the National Visa Center (NVC) and the Embassy to ensure your case is documentarily qualified and all documentation for your case has been submitted prior to interview scheduling.

U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine

The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is open but is working at a limited capacity. They are processing both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, CR-1 visas, H-2B visas, F-1 student visas, B-1/B-2 visas etc.

There are slight delays in visa processing.

U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand has fully resumed routine visa services. They are processing nonimmigrant visas and immigrant visas, including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, IR-1, and CR-1 visas.

This post may receive cases from third country nationals who are either resident, or physically present, and able to remain for the required visa processing time.

For Important Visa information from the U.S. Embassy Bangkok, please click here.

U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia has suspended nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services due to the Russian government prohibiting the Embassy from employing foreign nationals. Russian nationals may continue to apply for nonimmigrant visas at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate where they can obtain an appointment.

The State Department has designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland to process immigrant visas for nationals of Russia. The U.S. Embassy Tashkent, Uzbekistan and U.S. Consulate Almaty, Kazakhstan are processing posts for Russian IR-5 immigrant visas (parents of U.S. Citizens).

U.S. Embassy Manila, Philippines

The U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines has fully resumed routine visa services. They are processing nonimmigrant visas and immigrant visas, including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, IR-1, CR-1 visas, F-1 student visas.

Since this Consulate is a high-volume post, it is taking a longer period of time for visa interview scheduling, therefore visa applicants should expect delays.

U.S. Embassy Lagos, Nigeria

The U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, has resumed routine visa processing. This Embassy is still working at a limited capacity due to staffing restrictions. Immigrant visa applicants are required to visit the Embassy in Lagos on two separate occasions: once for document review and again for the interview.

Backlogs remain severe. Applicants continue to wait prolonged periods of time for Lagos to open more interview slots for those with cases that are documentarily complete. Applicants are encouraged to follow up with the National Visa Center (NVC) to ensure their cases are documentarily complete and/or all civil documentation has been received by the NVC.

Those with U.S. Citizen petitioners facing compelling hardships such as urgent medical need, may wish to speak to an attorney to discuss the possibility of applying for an expedite request.

U.S. Consulates Mexico

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico are currently processing immigrant and nonimmigrant visas on a routine basis.

Immigrant Visas

The U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez has resumed routine immigrant visa operations and is scheduling interviews each week in ALL immigrant visa categories. However, applicants should be aware that this is a high traffic consulate which means that applicants should expect delays in visa interview availability.

Note: Those who are required to apply for a hardship waiver of grounds of inadmissibility must wait for an approval from USCIS before proceeding with their immigrant visa process in Ciudad Juarez.

K-1 Fiancé(e) Visas: K-1 applicants with cases at the National Visa Center (NVC) are being scheduled for appointments at the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez in the order the cases were documentarily completed.

Click here for more information from the U.S. Consulates in Mexico.

U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, Israel

The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel has resumed routine immigrant visa operations and is scheduling interviews for immigrants and non-immigrants. There has been a surge in E-2 investor visa applicants at this Embassy due to the requirement that visa applicants must interview in their country of residence or nationality.

E2 Visa Applicants

The E-2 visa unit will first review the submitted paper file and then schedule an interview for the company and employee.

Due to an overwhelming demand for this category, preliminary review of corporate files currently takes more than three months.  The review is executed on a first come first served basis.  All applicants are then required to attend an in-person interview which is scheduled by the Embassy.

U.S. Consulate Mumbai, India

The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India has resumed routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services.

They are scheduling visa interviews for IR-1, IR-5, CR-1, K-1 fiancé(e) cases, and priority is being given to F-1 student visa applicants.

If your case has been documentarily qualified, your priority date is current, but you have not yet received notice of your case being transferred to the Consular post, you should contact the National Visa Center to inquire about the status of your case.

Important Notice: B1/B2 interview waiver appointments consolidating in New Delhi

Please note that B1/B2 interview waiver appointments have been consolidated in New Delhi beginning March 2024.

Due to this consolidation, interview waiver appointments for visitor visas in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai are now extremely limited, however, appointments continue to be readily available in New Delhi for interview waiver eligible applicants applying for a visitor visa. Applicants who have submitted their passports for interview waiver processing may be required to appear in New Delhi, if the Embassy determines that they need to attend an in-person interview.

For more information, please click here.

U.S. Consulate Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is open and working at a regular capacity. The Embassy is processing both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including K-1 fiancé(e) visas, IR-1, and CR-1 cases.

This post may receive cases from third country nationals who are either resident, or physically present, and able to remain for the required visa processing time.

U.S. Consulates Canada

The U.S. Embassies and Consulates in Canada (Toronto and Montreal) have resumed routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services; however, visa interview appointments are being scheduled slowly.

Applicants should expect longer-than-normal wait times for visa interviews.

If your immigrant visa case is waiting for an interview in Canada, we encourage you to follow up with the National Visa Center (NVC) and the Embassy to ensure your case is documentarily qualified and all documentation for your case has been submitted prior to interview scheduling.

This post may receive cases from third country nationals who are either resident, or physically present, and able to remain for the required visa processing time.

U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, has resumed routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. However, applicants should expect longer-than-normal wait times for visa interviews.

Significant backlogs remain major barriers for most visa categories and staffing shortages mean longer wait times for visa interviews. Interviews are being scheduled very slowly.

Those facing a life-or-death emergency and need to request expedited processing, are encouraged to contact NVCExpedite@state.gov with their expedite request.

Conclusion

To find out more about the operational capacity of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate, please visit their website and click on “immigrant” or “nonimmigrant” visa on the navigational tab.

Remember that you can contact the National Visa Center to ensure your case is documentarily qualified and inquire on its transfer to the Consular post abroad.

If you believe that you are eligible for expedited processing of your case and/or emergency visa processing, we invite you to contact our office to evaluate your case and determine eligibility.

Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-569-1768 or call 619-819-9204.

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