Change in Options for Consular Processing

The Department of State (DOS) has reduced the options on where an immigrant visa applicant can consular process. Applicants must now select the U.S. consulate located either in their current place of residence or in their country of nationality. Effective Nov. 1, 2025, the National Visa Center (NVC) will schedule immigrant visa applicants in one of those places. Existing immigrant visa appointments will generally not be rescheduled or cancelled. Applicants residing in the United States will no longer be able to select a U.S. consulate in the country where they last resided. Under the new policy, these applicants would need to ask NVC to transfer their case there and provide a hardship justification.