Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments:

• Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
• 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.  See the list below to determine the designated location for NIV applications.

Designated Locations for Nonimmigrant Visa Processing

Applicants should note the following:

• 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:  Wait times for nonimmigrant interview appointments vary by location.  Applicants applying outside their country of nationality or residence should expect to wait significantly longer for an appointment.
• Existing Appointments:  Existing nonimmigrant visa appointments will generally not be cancelled.
• Exceptions:  This guidance does not apply to applicants for A, G, C-2, C-3, NATO visas, applicants for diplomatic-type or official-type visas (regardless of classification), or applicants for any visa for travel covered by the UN Headquarters Agreement.  Rare exceptions may also be made for humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.

Applicants should check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about visa application requirements and procedures, and to learn more about the embassy or consulate’s operating status and services.

This supersedes previous guidance on visa application requirements, including designated visa processing locations.