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

Welcome back to the Immigration Lawyer Blog, where we discuss all things immigration. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick shares the most up to date information about the current status of U.S. visa services at Consulates and Embassies worldwide. In this post we cover U.S. Embassies and Consular posts that we have not yet touched on and provide an analysis of their operating capacity during the worldwide COVID-19 health crisis. Want to know which Embassies and Consulates are scheduling visa interviews?

Keep on watching to find out more.

Overview

As a preliminary matter, it is important to consider that the majority of U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas continue to have very limited operational capacity due to constraints relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some posts have temporarily suspended all routine visa services and have not provided an estimated time frame as to when they will resume at least partial visa services and appointments. The bulk of Consular posts have entered a phased resumption of visa services and are providing visa services as their resources and local country conditions will allow. The health and safety of employees and the public remains a top concern. Emergency and mission critical visa services continue to be prioritized for those facing life and death emergencies, age-out cases where the applicant will no longer qualify due to their age, immediate relative intercountry adoption, and other special cases. Furthermore, expedite requests and National Interest exceptions continue to be considered by Consular posts and Embassies including for health care professionals working to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How are Consular posts and Embassies prioritizing appointments?

The Department of State announced that Consular missions and Embassies are following a four-tier system of prioritization to triage documentarily qualified immigrant visa applications based on the category of immigrant visa as they resume and expand processing. Consular sections are scheduling some appointments within all four priority tiers every month where possible, however the following are the main categories of immigrant visas in priority order:

Tier One: Immediate relative intercountry adoption visas, age-out cases (cases where the applicant will soon no longer qualify due to their age), certain Special Immigrant Visas (SQ and SI for Afghan and Iraqi nationals working with the U.S. government), and emergency cases as determined on a case-by-case basis.
Tier Two: Immediate relative visas; fiancé(e) visas; and returning resident visas
Tier Three: Family preference immigrant visas and SE Special Immigrant Visas for certain employees of the U.S. government abroad
Tier Four: All other immigrant visas, including employment preference and diversity visas*

U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania

The U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania has not resumed routine visa services and has limited operational capacity due to staffing limitations. Interviews for visa appointments are again being prioritized according to the Department of State’s prioritization schedule and approved expedite requests and/or National Interest Exception cases. They are processing IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of June of 2020. F2A cases are also being worked on that have been documentarily qualified as of January of 2021. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of November 2019 are being processed. Due to the Embassy’s limited operational capacity, most documentarily qualified cases have remained warehoused at the National Visa Center due to the limited appointments available.

U.S. Embassy Yerevan, Armenia

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia is working at a regular capacity. The Embassy is not reporting any delays or limitations. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that were documentarily qualified as of August 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. F2A cases that were documentarily qualified as of January 2020 are also being scheduled for interviews. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of November 2019 are being processed. Some F4 applicants who became documentarily qualified in October of 2019 are reporting that their cases are being processed by the Embassy. This Embassy is also scheduling F-1 visa interviews for students.

U.S. Embassy Nassau, Bahamas

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas is working at a regular capacity for the time being and based on information that has been reported. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of September 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. F2A cases that were documentarily qualified as of January 2020 are also being scheduled for interviews. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of November 2019 are being processed. This Embassy is also processing F-1 and J-1 visa applications.

U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh is working at a limited capacity only. In fact, to our knowledge they were not scheduling any interviews for the past month or so. The Embassy in Dhaka is processing expedite requests, emergency cases, and National Interest exception cases. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of May 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. We do not have information about scheduling for F2A and F4 preference categories. This Embassy is also scheduling F-1 visa interviews for students with a valid Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status starting their course of study in the next semester.

U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados

The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, is working at a limited capacity only. They are processing K-1 fiancé(e) visas and scheduling interviews based on their limited operational capacity. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of June 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. Like other Embassies, they are processing expedite requests, emergency cases, and National Interest exception cases. K-1 fiancé(e) visa expedite requests in particular have been successful.

U.S. Embassy Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The U.S. Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has suspended routine visa services due to the dire country conditions relating to COVID-19 and the Presidential Proclamation restricting travel to the United States from Brazil. The Embassy in Rio de Janeiro is scheduling F-1 visa interviews for students with a valid Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status starting their course of study in the next semester. With respect to immigrant visas, the Embassy is scheduling very limited visa appointments. K-1 fiancé(e) visas are being processed very slowly at this Embassy and recently even expedite requests are taking a substantial amount of time to be reviewed (2+ months). IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of August 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of November 2019 are also being scheduled for interviews. If you have a case in Brazil, you may consider the option of submitting an expedite and/or National Interest exception request keeping in mind that expedites are taking a long time to be reviewed.

U.S. Embassy Yaounde, Cameroon

The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon, is working at a limited capacity only. They are processing K-1 fiancé(e) visas and scheduling interviews based on their limited operational capacity. We have seen a particular increase in the scheduling of K-1 fiancé(e) visas. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of August 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. Expedite requests and National Interest Exception cases continue to receive priority consideration. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of November 2019 are also being scheduled for interviews based on their limited operational capacity. If you have a case in Cameroon, you may consider the option of submitting an expedite and/or National Interest exception request because in general they are reviewing these requests and giving them consideration.

U.S. Embassy Montreal, Canada

The U.S. Embassy in Montreal, Canada, is almost working at full capacity. They are processing cases beyond a limited scope. K-1 fiancé(e) visas, IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of September 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. We are also seeing an increase in expedite request and National Interest exception approvals. F-1 student visa interviews are still being delayed at this Embassy and virtually no B1/B2 tourist visa appointments are being scheduled. E-2 visa appointments are also extremely limited at the Embassy in Toronto, Canada.

U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia

The U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, is working at a limited capacity only due to country conditions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are processing K-1 fiancé(e) visas very slowly. Those who believe they qualify for expedited processing of their case and/or a National Interest exception request should discuss eligibility with an experienced immigration attorney, because these requests are being considered. IR-1 and CR-1 cases that have been documentarily qualified as of August 2020 are being scheduled for interviews. F4 cases that were documentarily qualified as of October 2019 are also being scheduled for interviews. If you have a case in Bogota, you may consider the option of submitting an expedite and/or National Interest exception request because in general they are reviewing these requests and giving them consideration.

Conclusion

To find out more about the operational capacity of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate 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 potential transfer to the Consular post abroad. If you believe that you are eligible for expedited processing of your case and/or a National Interest Exception, we invite you to contact our office to evaluate your case and determine eligibility.

Contact Us Today. We hope that this information was helpful. If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

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