The United States Department of State has announced new rules governing where immigrant visa interviews will be conducted, a move that will take effect on November 1, 2025.
Under the revised guidelines, all applicants will be required to attend their visa interviews at the consular post responsible for their place of residence, or in their country of nationality if they request it. This marks a shift from previous practice, where some applicants could seek interviews in third countries for convenience.
The Department announced that the National Visa Center (NVC) will immediately begin scheduling interviews in line with the new requirements, ensuring that appointments reflect the applicant’s residency or nationality.
For Kenyans applying for immigrant visas, interviews will continue to be conducted at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. The policy, however, carries added implications for applicants from neighbouring countries that lack fully functioning U.S. consular operations.
Nairobi New Operations
The State Department designated Nairobi as the official interview centre for applicants from Somalia and South Sudan. Similarly, those from Eritrea may be directed to either Nairobi or Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sudanese applicants will have their interviews processed in Cairo, while those from Syria must travel to Amman or, in special cases, Beirut.
Other global designations include Islamabad for Afghans, Warsaw for Belarusians, Nassau for Haitians, and Abu Dhabi, Ankara, or Yerevan for Iranians. Applicants from Venezuela will now be interviewed in Bogotá, Yemenis in Djibouti, and Zimbabweans in Johannesburg.
The Department stressed that these designations are meant to standardise the process and provide clarity for applicants living in countries without routine consular services. It added that the changes are aimed at ensuring visa interviews are tied to an applicant’s residence or nationality, with only limited exceptions.
According to the guidance, humanitarian and medical emergencies or foreign policy considerations may justify exceptions. In such cases, applicants may be permitted to attend interviews outside their assigned posts, but they must submit supporting documentation.
Scheduled Appointments
The State Department further clarified that the new rules will not affect appointments that have already been scheduled. Existing interview dates will generally proceed as planned, and applicants have been advised not to contact consular sections directly to request changes.
Those wishing to transfer their case after scheduling will be required to use the Public Inquiry Form, which is available through the National Visa Centre.
DV Lottery Applicants
Importantly, the new requirements will also apply to Diversity Visa applicants, beginning with the DV-2026 program year.
This means that winners of the U.S. green card lottery will have their interviews tied to their residence or nationality under the updated policy.
The Department of State advised applicants to closely monitor embassy and consulate websites for further details on visa requirements, operating status, and available services, noting that the changes supersede all previous guidance on immigrant visa interview arrangements.
