New Rules for Immigrant Visas Interview Location
September 2, 2025Starting November 1, 2025, all immigrant visa applicants must attend their visa interview in their country of residence, or—if requested by the applicant—in their country of nationality, subject to limited exceptions.
What’s Changing – and Why It Matters
This new policy represents a notable shift from previous practices, wherein applicants could sometimes choose a different consular district—often referred to informally as “consulate shopping.” Starting in November 2025, that flexibility will largely end. The National Visa Center (NVC) will automatically schedule interviews in the applicant’s:
- Country of residence, or
- Country of nationality, only if explicitly requested and with supporting justification.
Important Details at a Glance
- Existing interview appointments will generally remain unchanged and are unlikely to be rescheduled or canceled.
- If you want your case transferred to another consular district—after the NVC has scheduled your appointment—you must contact the National Visa Center directly (via their Public Inquiry Form). Do not attempt to arrange this by contacting consular offices individually.
- If you request an alternate interview location, the NVC may require documentation to confirm that the requested location is indeed your place of residence, or to assess whether an exception applies.
- Exceptions are rare, but may be granted for urgent situations such as medical, humanitarian, or foreign policy emergencies.
- The new requirement will also apply to Diversity Visa (DV2026) applicants.
Why This Change Matters to Applicants and Business Clients
For employers and businesses sponsoring immigrant employees or family-based cases, understanding this change is crucial:
- Planning impact: Interview scheduling will now depend strictly on location rules. Business relocation or extended travel abroad by your beneficiary could affect where the interview is held.
- Documentation diligence: Requesting an exception will require robust documentation and timely communication with the NVC.
- Coordination: You may need to coordinate post-transfer plans early—especially when involving employees stationed abroad or individuals with complex residence circumstances.
If routine processing in the applicant’s country of residence or nationality is suspended, they must adhere to the following chart:
| RESIDENT OF | DESIGNATED POST(S) |
| Afghanistan (except Special Immigrant Visas) | Islamabad |
| Belarus | Warsaw |
| Eritrea | Addis Ababa, Nairobi |
| Haiti | Nassau |
| Iran | Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Yerevan |
| Libya | Tunis |
| Niger | Abidjan |
| North Korea | Guangzhou |
| Russia | Warsaw, Almaty (IR-5), Tashkent (IR-5) |
| Somalia | Nairobi |
| South Sudan | Nairobi |
| Sudan | Cairo |
| Syria | Amman, Beirut (for Palestinians with Syrian Travel Documents) |
| Venezuela | Bogota |
| Yemen | Djibouti |
| Zimbabwe | Johannesburg |
If you have questions about where you will be attending your immigrant visa appointment, please contact our firm.