The United States Department of State (DoS) has announced fresh changes to visa applications for all non-immigrant visa categories. According to the new changes, non-immigrant visa applicants will be required to apply and attend consular visa interviews at their countries of residence starting on November 1, 2025.
“Effective November 1, 2025, all immigrant visa applicants will be scheduled for their interview in the consular district designated for their country of residence or alternatively, may apply in their country of nationality if requested, with limited exceptions,” the department said in a notice to non-immigrant visa applicants.
These new changes mean that it will no longer be possible to schedule a visa interview at a foreign country where you are not a resident and have no proof of residence. For example, it will no longer be possible for Kenyans in Nairobi to schedule visa interviews in Tanzania or South Africa as has previously happened, unless there is direct authorization by the Department of State.
The U.S has however made an exception for residents of countries where U.S visa operations are suspended. Residents of these countries will now be required to attend their interviews at designated consular locations.
“Residents of countries where routine visa operations are suspended or paused should apply at their designated immigrant visa processing post, unless the applicant is a national of another country with ongoing operations.”
A spot check by Bizna Kenya shows that the consular section at the United States Embassy in Nairobi will be among designated processing posts for certain countries including South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.
In addition to non-immigrant visas, the DoS says that these changes will also be applied to Diversity Visa applicants in the DV-2026 program year.
These changes are the latest in a series of stricter rules that the U.S is instituting on its immigration policies. Starting September 2, 2025, the U.S enforced a new rule that requires a majority of visas to go through a mandatory face to face visa interview with a consular officer.
“All nonimmigrant visa applicants including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79 will generally require an in-person interview with a consular officer,” the DoS had stated.
