US Embassies & Consulates

Where you apply: residence or nationality

For both nonimmigrant (temporary) and immigrant (green card) visas, the general rule is that you apply at the US embassy or consulate that covers your country of residence, or your country of nationality. Immigrant visa applicants are normally scheduled in the consular district for their place of residence.

Since a 2025 policy update, the Department of State has emphasised that nonimmigrant visa applicants should schedule their interview in their country of nationality or residence. If you apply where you are resident rather than a national, be ready to prove your residency at that post.

• Nonimmigrant visas: apply at the post serving your country of nationality or residence.
• Immigrant visas: scheduled in the consular district for your country of residence (nationality by request in limited cases).
• If a country has no operating US mission, a designated alternative post handles its applicants.

Finding the right post

Use the official directory to find the mission that serves you, then open that post's own website for local instructions. Larger countries have an embassy in the capital plus consulates in other cities, each covering a defined consular district, so confirm which one handles your area before you book.

• Start at the State Department's Find US Embassies and Consulates directory.
• Every post's website ends in usembassy.gov and carries local booking links, addresses and closure dates.
• A separate State Department list shows which posts process immigrant visas.

Applying in a third country

Applying outside your country of nationality or residence (as a 'third-country national') is possible at some posts but is discouraged and often harder. Expect significantly longer appointment waits, and be aware that some cases are more difficult to qualify for away from home. Rare exceptions may be considered for humanitarian or medical emergencies or for foreign-policy reasons. Because these rules changed recently and vary by post, confirm current practice on the specific mission's website before making plans.

What the embassy or consulate does

The mission is where the in-person stages of your application happen after you have filed the form and paid. Requirements differ slightly by post, so treat the local website as the definitive checklist.

• Hosts your visa appointment and, for most applicants, the interview with a consular officer.
• Collects biometrics (fingerprints and photo) where required.
• Reviews your documents and decides the case; a common refusal ground for visitor and other temporary visas is section 214(b) (not showing strong ties or nonimmigrant intent).
• Returns your passport with the visa, or explains a refusal, through its local process.

Before you book

• Confirm which post covers your area and read its usembassy.gov page in full.
• Complete the correct form first: DS-160 for nonimmigrant visas, DS-260 for immigrant visas.
• Pay the correct fee (for example, the $185 MRV fee for most non-petition nonimmigrant categories) before scheduling, as posts require proof of payment.
• Check the post's own current wait times and closures, which change frequently.
• Bring proof of residency if you are applying where you live rather than where you are a national.