The US Department of State has announced a major policy change for non-immigrant visa applicants, requiring them to schedule their interviews “at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”

The new guidance, effective immediately, was published on September 6, 2025, on the State Department’s official visa portal.

The update supersedes all previous instructions on designated visa processing locations.

The Department noted: “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.”

The list of designated locations covers nationals from conflict-affected or diplomatically restricted states such as Afghanistan (Islamabad), Belarus (Vilnius, Warsaw), Cuba (Georgetown), Iran (Dubai), Russia (Astana, Warsaw), Venezuela (Bogota), and Yemen (Riyadh).

Applicants are also warned of three critical changes:

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.”

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.”

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

Existing appointments, however, “will generally not be cancelled,” and the Department emphasised that the new rules do not apply to diplomatic, NATO, or UN-related visas.

According to the Saturday release, exceptions may still be granted for “humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.”

The Department urged applicants to check their local embassy or consulate websites for details on requirements and wait times.

This sweeping adjustment, officials noted, is part of efforts to streamline nonimmigrant visa adjudications while managing global backlogs and security considerations.

PUNCH Online reports that the US State Department’s new directive extends explicitly to non-immigrant visas, ending a long-standing practice among nationals of travelling to neighbouring countries to secure interview appointments.

In Nigeria, for example, for years, when slots in Abuja or Lagos were unavailable, applicants often turned to consulates in Cameroon, Namibia, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic to fast-track their chances.

Under the updated policy, Nigerians—and all other nationals—must apply strictly in their country of residence or nationality.

This shift will significantly alter how applicants navigate the already challenging process, especially given long wait times in Nigeria. (Sunday PUNCH)