American embassies and consulates across the Middle East and South Asia have paused routine visa processing.
The ongoing confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the United States is resulting in the cancellation of thousands of US visa appointments across several nations. According to a Newsweek report, American embassies and consulates across the Middle East and South Asia have paused routine visa processing.
Tens of thousands of applicants might be left waiting indefinitely for new appointments if visa services at many US embassies and consulates remain suspended, according to three experts who spoke with Newsweek.
In light of the ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict, US embassies and consulates in several nations, including Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have temporarily halted visa services.
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Visa applicants affected by the interview scheduling changes are being contacted via email with instructions for rescheduling, but new interview dates have not yet been announced. The US Embassy in Kuwait City has suspended operations and cancelled all consular appointments indefinitely due to regional tensions and security concerns, as stated in a security alert by the US State Department.
In September, a new US visa rule made it mandatory for all applicants to apply for a visa only from their country of residence or nationality. Applicants for US non-immigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
Also, certain nonimmigrant candidates were able to submit visa applications by mail or at designated locations without attending a personal interview. But the US had withdrawn the interview waiver policy, often known as the ‘Dropbox,’ for most foreign travellers seeking a US visa. As a result, most visa applicants must now attend in-person interviews.
The practice of seeking faster US visa appointments in third countries has largely ceased, with few exceptions for applicants from nations lacking operational US visa posts who may be assigned to another location.
The ordeal for Indian H-1B visa applicants continues. Since December 2025, the visa appointments have been rescheduled, leaving Indian workers stranded in the country. Some applicants have reportedly received rescheduled appointment dates that extend beyond March, reaching into October or even 2027 in some cases, although there is no official update on the status.
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