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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