US Issues New Visa Rules: Interviews Must be Done in Home Country

The United States Department of State has rolled out a sweeping change to its non-immigrant visa process, directing applicants to schedule interviews strictly “at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”

The announcement, published on September 6, 2025, on the State Department’s official visa portal, takes effect immediately and cancels all earlier guidelines on where applicants could book interviews.

In its statement, the Department clarified: “Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere.”

Conflict Zones and Designated Offices

The update provides a list of specific processing locations for nationals of conflict-affected or diplomatically restricted nations. These include:

● Afghanistan (Islamabad)

● Belarus (Vilnius, Warsaw)

● Cuba (Georgetown)

● Iran (Dubai)

● Russia (Astana, Warsaw)

● Venezuela (Bogota)

● Yemen (Riyadh)

Key Changes Applicants Must Note

The State Department highlighted three major shifts:

1. Residence Requirement: “Applicants must be able to demonstrate residence in the country where they are applying, if the place of application is based on their residency.”

2. Fees: “Applicants who schedule nonimmigrant interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of their country of nationality or residence might find that it will be more difficult to qualify for the visa. Fees paid for such applications will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.”

3. Appointment Availability: “Applicants applying outside their country of nationality or residence should expect to wait significantly longer for an appointment.”

Existing interview dates, however, will mostly remain valid, with the Department confirming that the directive does not cover diplomatic, NATO, or UN-related visas. Exceptions, it added, may be granted in cases of “humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.”

What It Means for Nigerians

For years, many Nigerians unable to secure slots in Lagos or Abuja turned to consulates in Ghana, Cameroon, Namibia, the Ivory Coast, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic. Under the new rules, that option no longer exists. Applicants must now process their non-immigrant visas in Nigeria or in their country of residence.

The Department said the adjustment is part of a broader effort to streamline visa adjudications, address global backlogs, and strengthen security. It urged applicants worldwide to monitor embassy and consulate websites for up-to-date requirements and expected wait times.