USCIS closes offices in Bay Area, State Department limits services abroad

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has closed offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, and U.S. consulates abroad continue to limit services because of the COVID-19 virus.

Key Points:

• USCIS offices in the San Francisco Bay Area are closed until at least April 6 because of a shelter-in-place order. Those needing to reschedule an appointment should follow instructions on USCIS’s COVID-19 website.
• USCIS has urged individuals to reschedule appointments if they (1) have traveled outside the United States in the last 14 days, (2) believe they have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus or (3) are experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat or fever.
• U.S. embassies and consulates may either be closed or offering limited services. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. consulates in Mexico announced they would suspend routine immigrant and non-immigrant services beginning March 18, 2020. More information is available here.
• Consular services have also been limited at U.S. embassies and consulates in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Israel, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.

Additional information: BAL is continuing to monitor the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Appointments may be canceled with little or notice and those in need of USCIS or consular services are encouraged to check on potential closures or cancelations office before traveling to their appointment.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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