The COVID pandemic caused U.S. Embassy and Consulate offices around the world to suspend U.S. visa services. As vaccinations have increased and cases have declined, more embassies and consulates have led to the suspension of U.S. visa services around the world. As restrictions start to ease, many U.S. embassies and consulates have resumed certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments.
The State Department is working to reduce the backlog caused by the closures, although not all locations are back to full capacity, and restrictions and cancellations are continuing. Many embassies and consulates are taking emergency appointments only at this time. According to a recent article in Forbes,
“Consulate closures and limited processing have caused significant delays for visa appointments, leading companies to fear much-needed employees may never arrive in America.”
The U.S. Embassy in London notified visa applicants with routine interviews scheduled between August and October that their appointments have been canceled. Applicants were told to reschedule their interview, with available appointments starting March 2022.
According to the State Department’s appointment wait time website page, nearly all the major countries for U.S. visas are processing emergency appointments only.
Overseas consulates may expedite visa interview dates if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, medical emergency, or school start date.
Godoy Law Office is an established immigration law firm in Chicago and Lombard, Illinois, with attorneys who are ready to help you interpret the law as it applies in your case and apply for legal immigration status if you are eligible. If you need help with an immigration issue, please contact our office at 630-912-0322.
Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties.
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Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.
