USA now demands Visa application is done at home countries

The US Department of State has rolled out a sweeping new policy for non-immigrant visa applicants, mandating that interviews must now be scheduled strictly “at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”

The directive, which took effect on September 6, 2025, was published on the State Department’s official visa portal and overrides all prior instructions on designated visa processing.

According to the update, nationals of countries where the US does not operate routine non-immigrant visa services will need to apply at designated embassies or consulates, unless they reside elsewhere. These designated locations include: Afghanistan (Islamabad), Belarus (Vilnius, Warsaw), Cuba (Georgetown), Iran (Dubai), Russia (Astana, Warsaw), Venezuela (Bogota), and Yemen (Riyadh).

The Department also outlined three critical changes for applicants:

1. Residence Requirement: Applicants must prove residency in the country where they are applying if applying outside their nationality.
2. Fees: Applications made outside one’s country of nationality or residence may face tougher scrutiny, and fees paid will neither be refunded nor transferred.
3. Appointment Availability: Those applying abroad should expect significantly longer wait times.

While most existing appointments will not be canceled, the Department clarified that the new rules exclude diplomatic, NATO, and UN-related visas. Exceptions may also be granted for humanitarian needs, urgent medical cases, or foreign policy considerations.

The policy aims to streamline visa processing, reduce global backlogs, and tighten security. However, it ends the long-standing practice where applicants traveled to neighboring countries for faster appointments.

In Nigeria, for instance, when slots in Abuja or Lagos were unavailable, applicants often turned to consulates in Ghana, Cameroon, Namibia, Ivory Coast, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic to speed up the process. With the new directive, Nigerians—like all other nationals—must now apply solely in their country of residence or nationality, a change that could worsen already lengthy wait times.

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