The U.S. Department of State announced through its social media yesterday that as of March 18, routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments will be cancelled worldwide as part of a general temporary suspension of visa services during this time of global travel warnings. You must check the status of visa services at individual embassies/consular posts.

In response to worldwide challenges related to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Department of State is suspending routine visa services in most countries worldwide. Embassies and consulates in these countries will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 18, 2020. These embassies and consulates will resume routine visa services as soon as possible, but we are unable to provide a specific date at this time. Check the website of the embassy or consulate for its current operating status: usembassy.gov

Services to U.S. citizens will continue at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, but the availability of these services may be limited. Check the website of an individual embassy or consulate to determine their operating status and find emergency contact information.

ISSS will continue to issue I-20/DS-2019 forms for new students and exchange visitors who will begin fall programs, and issue travel signatures for continuing students and scholars who will need to renew visas before returning. Your forms will be mailed to you after normal ISSS operations resume, and in time for your scheduled visa appointment. If you already had a visa appointment scheduled, it is my understanding that you will receive an email notifying you of the appointment cancellation.  When visa services resume, you will need to reschedule your appointment and notify ISSS of the date. We hope that this suspension of U.S. visa services will be short, and that services will resume soon.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of State is maintaining a list of Covid-19 information, travel/entry restrictions and resources by country. If you are considering a U.S. departure, this resource may be helpful to learn of current conditions and requirements in your destination country.

Thank you, and please let ISSS know if you have questions about how this news applies to your individual travel situation.