The US Department of State has announced sweeping changes for applicants on non-immigrant visas requiring all applicants to henceforth applu=y from their country of residence or origin.
Previously applicants could apply from countries other than the one they live.
However, in a new policy announced on Saturday September 6, 2025, all applicants must apply “at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”
The new policy according information shared on the State Department official portal supersedes all previous guidelines.
The only exemption according to the new policy is only applicable to “humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.”
The information expressly states that: “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”
According to 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.
The Department urged applicants to check their local embassy or consulate websites for details on requirements and wait times.
The new policy will drastically affect countries with usually heavy applications like Nigeria where applicants could approach less busy US embassies in neighbouring countries.
