The U.S. Department of State has tightened and clarified its visa interview rules, requiring most immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule appointments in their country of nationality or residence. Only narrow exceptions will be made for humanitarian, medical, diplomatic, and foreign policy cases.
The July 15 update expands on guidance issued in December 2025 and comes as the department seeks to standardize how U.S. embassies and consulates process visa cases worldwide. The new policy affects both immigrant visas (IVs) and nonimmigrant visas (NIVs), including those for tourists, students, and temporary workers.
For immigrant visa applicants, the department stated that the National Visa Center (NVC) will schedule interviews in the applicant’s country of residence or, if requested, in their country of nationality. That change took effect November 1, 2025, and applies to applicants living in countries where routine U.S. visa operations are available, as well as to those who must use designated processing posts because routine services are suspended or unavailable.
The State Department noted that existing immigrant visa appointments generally will not be rescheduled or canceled. Applicants who want to transfer a case after the NVC has already scheduled an interview must contact the center directly, rather than reaching out to a U.S. embassy or consulate.
The updated guidance also notes that the NVC may request additional documentation from applicants who seek interviews in locations other than their assigned consular district or country of nationality to confirm their residence or determine whether an exception is appropriate. The department added that rare exceptions may be granted for humanitarian or medical emergencies, or for foreign policy reasons.
For nonimmigrant visa applicants, the State Department said interview appointments should be scheduled at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of nationality or residence. Nationals of countries where the United States is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at designated processing posts.
The department warned that applicants who schedule interviews outside their country of nationality, residence, or designated post may face longer wait times and a more difficult path to approval. It also stated that fees paid for those applications will not be refunded or transferred.
Applicants applying based on residence must be able to prove they live in the country where they are submitting their application. Existing nonimmigrant visa appointments generally will not be canceled, though some posts may notify applicants if appointments are withdrawn in specific cases.
The nonimmigrant guidance does not apply to A, G, C-2, C-3, or NATO visa applicants, diplomatic- or official-type visas, or travel covered by the U.N. Headquarters Agreement.
The State Department said the changes will be applied to Diversity Visa applicants in future program years and advised applicants to check embassy and consulate websites for the most current information on services, requirements, and operating status.
The previous 2025 notice already required nonimmigrant visa applicants to interview in their country of nationality or residence, and it listed designated processing posts for countries without routine U.S. visa operations. The July 15 update broadened and clarified this policy, explicitly bringing immigrant visa processing under the same residence-based framework and tightening the instructions for case transfers and exceptions.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
