The United States Department of State has unveiled new rules that will change how and where immigrant visa interviews are conducted, with the policy set to take effect on November 1, 2025.
Under the revised guidelines, all applicants must attend their interviews at the U.S. consular post responsible for their country of residence—or, upon request, in their country of nationality. This marks a departure from past practice, where many applicants sought interviews in third countries for convenience.
The National Visa Center (NVC) has already begun scheduling interviews in line with the new framework, ensuring appointments reflect an applicant’s residency or nationality. For Kenyans, immigrant visa interviews will continue to be conducted at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
However, the changes carry broader implications for applicants from neighboring countries with limited U.S. consular operations. Nairobi has now been designated as the official interview hub for applicants from Somalia and South Sudan. Eritreans may be directed to either Nairobi or Addis Ababa, while Sudanese applicants will be processed in Cairo. For Syrians, Amman will serve as the main processing center, with Beirut available in exceptional cases.
Other global designations include Islamabad for Afghans, Warsaw for Belarusians, Nassau for Haitians, Abu Dhabi, Ankara, or Yerevan for Iranians, Bogotá for Venezuelans, Djibouti for Yemenis, and Johannesburg for Zimbabweans.
According to the State Department, these designations aim to streamline operations and provide clarity for applicants from countries without routine consular services. Limited exceptions will be allowed in cases of humanitarian emergencies, medical needs, or U.S. foreign policy considerations—but applicants must provide supporting documentation.
The Department also clarified that already scheduled appointments will not be affected. Applicants who wish to transfer their cases after scheduling must submit a request through the NVC’s Public Inquiry Form, rather than directly to the consulates.
Importantly, the policy will also apply to Diversity Visa applicants beginning with the DV-2026 program, meaning U.S. green card lottery winners will have interviews tied to their residence or nationality.
