U.S. embassies and consulates abroad continue to operate at a reduced capacity due to COVID-19, with U.S. consulates in India, Mexico and the United Kingdom among those that have recently announced new or extended service limitations.
India:
- Due to the suspension of nonimmigrant travel from India, routine nonimmigrant-visa appointments and Visa Application Center appointments remain extremely limited at the U.S. embassy and consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.
- Effective on June 7, the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai is reopening Immigrant Visa Unit appointments for:
- Rescheduling of canceled appointments.
- SB-1 status and visa applications.
- Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) services (boarding foil).
- Reissuance of expired visas.
- K applications.
- For additional updates, please check the U.S. embassy website.
Mexico:
- Routine visa appointments are being canceled and are not currently available for applicants who are not ordinarily residents in Mexico.
- Immigration visa units in Mexico cannot grant expedited appointments for applicants who are currently located in the U.S.
- U.S.-based applicants who want to extend their legal stay should contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services here.
United Kingdom:
- The U.S. Embassy in London has canceled routine appointments that were not previously approved for an expedited appointment from August to October 2021, including appointments for B1 and B2 visas.
- Applicants whose appointments were canceled can request any regular appointment available on the calendar portal and then make a request for an expedited appointment as eligible for National Interest Exemption (NIE).
- The latest U.S. visa information for those from the U.K. can be found here.
BAL Analysis: Consulates continue to operate at reduced capacity, and applicants should expect significant delays in obtaining visa appointments. Foreign nationals should continue to consult their BAL professional before planning international travel.
This alert has been provided by Berry Appleman & Leiden. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.
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