What Just Changed?
The U.S. Department of State has introduced a significant policy shift around where immigrant visa applicants can take their interviews:
- As of November 1, 2025, immigrant visa applicants must attend their interviews in either:
- Their country of legal residence (the consular district where they live), or
- Their country of nationality, if they request it. (Travel.state.gov)
In other words, you can no longer go to a third country to speed up your process, unless you genuinely live there. And even then, you need to document it.
Applicants from countries where routine visa operations are suspended or paused, think conflict zones or countries without functional U.S. consulates, will have to go to designated “alternate or designated processing posts.” (Travel.state.gov)
Why Is This Important?
This change marks the end of the widely used “third-country interview” workaround, where applicants used to sidestep long queues in their home country by traveling to another with shorter wait times. While that wasn’t officially guaranteed, it was a practical strategy for many.
Now, slots will likely become more crowded in the embassies or consulates of your home or resident country. If you’re in a place with high demand, think India, Mexico, Brazil, etc. get ready for longer wait times and fewer scheduling options.
Some Details Worth Knowing
| Category | Effective Date | New Requirement | Exceptions / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrant Visa Applicants | November 1, 2025 | Interview in country of residence or nationality (if requested) | Rare exceptions for humanitarian, medical, or foreign policy reasons (Travel.state.gov) |
| Applicants without routine visa services in their country | — | Must go to designated posts | Specific list in the official policy (Travel.state.gov) |
| Existing Appointments | — | Generally not cancelled | You should still check with NVC to confirm (Travel.state.gov) |
| Post-to-Post Transfers | — | Must request via NVC, not the embassy | You need approval through the National Visa Center (NVC) (Travel.state.gov) |
| Diversity Visa applicants (DV-2026, etc.) | November 1, 2025 | Follow the new schedule rules too | No exemption for lottery winners (Travel.state.gov) |
What You Should Do Now
- Check where you’re set to be scheduled
- Your interview location will generally be in the consular district that covers your residence—or your national country if you request it. (Travel.state.gov)
- If you live in a country with no functioning visa operations
- Look up the officially designated alternate processing posts for your region. (Travel.state.gov)
- If your interview was already scheduled elsewhere
- In most cases, those pre-November 1 appointments are safe. But confirm with the NVC—especially if it’s in a third country. (Travel.state.gov)
- Need to move your appointment?
- Go through the NVC’s Public Inquiry Form, not individual consular sections. (Travel.state.gov)
- Facing an emergency or extraordinary situation?
- Document your case clearly and seek an exception based on medical, humanitarian, or foreign policy grounds.
The Bottom Line (Tell It Like It Is)
If you were counting on a faster/cheaper consulate in a third country, that option is gone. Now, planning matters more. If you’re living abroad, make sure your residence is valid for consular purposes. Fight for clarity if you’re in the grey area of operations. And for those with complex situations, like multiple residencies or emerging emergencies, start gathering your proof and start earlier.
The new policy may feel rigid, but it’s also clear. It gives fewer loopholes, but also fewer surprises, as long as you’re proactive.