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Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has uncovered allegations of misconduct among border agents under investigation and exposed claims of abuse at ICE-run detention centers in the U.S. He joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent. He has covered the British Post Office scandal and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Originally from Glasgow, he studied Journalism in Edinburgh and then worked for STV News before moving to London in 2022. You can contact Billal at b.rahman@newsweek.com.
Immigration Reporter
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The U.S. Department of State has announced changes to immigrant visa interview requirements that will take effect on November 1, 2025.
Why It Matters
The State Department says the new policy standardizes where immigrant visa interviews take place and clarifies procedures for applicants living in countries without routine consular services. The change is intended to ensure interviews are tied to an applicant’s residence or nationality, with limited exceptions.
Samuel Corum/Sipa via AP Images
Immigrant visa applicants will be required to interview in the consular district corresponding to their place of residence, or, if requested, in their country of nationality, according to the department.
The department stated that the National Visa Center (NVC) will begin scheduling applicants according to these requirements.
For individuals residing in countries where routine visa operations are suspended or paused, the department has designated alternative immigrant visa processing posts.
The Department of State has listed specific consular posts for affected applicants. These include: Islamabad for Afghanistan, Warsaw for Belarus, Addis Ababa or Nairobi for Eritrea, Nassau for Haiti, and Abu Dhabi, Ankara, or Yerevan for Iran. Other designations include Tunis for Libya, Abidjan for Niger, Guangzhou for North Korea, and Warsaw, Almaty (IR-5), or Tashkent (IR-5) for Russia.
Nairobi will serve applicants from Somalia and South Sudan, while Cairo will process cases for Sudan. For Syria, interviews will take place in Amman or, for Palestinians with Syrian travel documents, in Beirut. Applicants from Venezuela will go through Bogota, from Yemen through Djibouti, and from Zimbabwe through Johannesburg.
The department noted that existing immigrant visa appointments will generally not be rescheduled or canceled. Applicants who wish to transfer their case to another consular district after their appointment has been scheduled must contact the NVC using a public inquiry form. The department emphasized that consular sections should not be contacted directly regarding such transfers.
According to the guidance, if an applicant requests an interview outside of the assigned consular district or country of nationality, the NVC may request documentation to confirm residence or determine whether an exception is appropriate. The department stated that exceptions may be granted in limited circumstances, such as humanitarian or medical emergencies, or for foreign policy reasons.
The agency confirmed that the new requirements will also apply to Diversity Visa applicants beginning with the DV-2026 program year.
The Department of State advised applicants to review embassy and consulate websites for more information on visa requirements, procedures, operating status, and available services.
This announcement supersedes previous guidance regarding immigrant visa application requirements and designated processing posts, the department said.
What People Are Saying
Lauren Aucoin, a former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official, told Newsweek: “With limited exceptions, most applicants will no longer qualify for the visa interview waiver. Affected applicants should plan ahead: complete DS 160 forms accurately, monitor consulate appointment availability, schedule visa interviews well in advance, and build in time for potential visa processing delays.”
What Happens Next
The changes come into effect in November.
Update, 09/02/25, 09:37 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment.
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About the writer
Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has uncovered allegations of misconduct among border agents under investigation and exposed claims of abuse at ICE-run detention centers in the U.S. He joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent. He has covered the British Post Office scandal and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Originally from Glasgow, he studied Journalism in Edinburgh and then worked for STV News before moving to London in 2022. You can contact Billal at b.rahman@newsweek.com.
Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has …
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