On August 23, 2017, the US will suspend nonimmigrant visa (NIV) operations in Russia. This is due to the personnel cap that Russia has imposed on US operations. Visa operations will resume in September 2017 on a greatly reduced scale. On September 1, 2017, the US will begin conducting nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interviews only at the US Embassy Moscow. The US has suspended NIV interviews at US Consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok until further notice. more »

Nonimmigrant visa wait times to obtain interview appointments at US Consular Posts in India have become extraordinarily long–some more then 90 days, according to AILA. Given this situation and the likelihood that it will continue indefinitely, nonimmigrant visa applicants in India may wish to consider visa processing in a third country. more »

On June 11, 2012, President Obama signed bipartisan legislation making Israeli investors eligible for the E-2 Investor Visa. The law adds Israel to a list of 80 countries whose citizens are eligible for the E-2 Investor Visa. The E-2 investor visa allows the US to grant E-2 visas to investors from countries that have treaties with the US. more »

The US Embassy New Delhi has announced that under a new initiative, in select circumstances, qualified visitorsmay be eligible to renew US visas without an interview. more »

Effective immediately (November 14, 2011), the Department of State (DOS) has temporarily halted student visa issuance (F visas, M visas and J visas) at all US Embassies and Consulates around the world. DOS has recently identified difficulties with its Consolidated Consular Database (CCD) communicating with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). DOS discovered this issue November 14, 2011. more »

On August 17, 2011, USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum regarding B-2 Visa Status changes and extensions for cohabitating partners, including same-sex partners and same-sex spouses, and other nonimmigrant household members. more »

The US Embassy London has advised that certain O-1 visa or P visa applicants who have held an O-1 visa or P visa in the past may be eligible to apply for the Visa Reissuance Program, and may obtain a new O-1 visa or P visa without an interview with a US consular officer. Criteria for eligibility are below.  more »