Applying For A US Visa During The Pandemic: Things You Should Know

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel has been difficult or, in some cases, impossible. As a result, it has been difficult for non-US Citizens to apply for visas, either new visas or renewals. At the present time, many US Embassies and Consulates remain closed and are not processing visas or are processing visas on a limited basis. In the case of travelers from Europe, most travel related restrictions remain in place, most notably the travel bans in place for the “Schengen” countries. Similarly, travelers from certain Asian, Middle Eastern and South American countries are subject to similar travel bans. Persons who have been residing in these countries continue to be prohibited from entering the United States unless they first obtain a “national interest exception” from the US Consulate in their place of residence. Depending on the country where a person resides, the National Interest Exception process can take anywhere from 1 day (Luxembourg)